Invid Lullaby
by gppr
Summary: Robotech New Generation. A sequel to Second Chance. Scott and Marlene have to deal with the challenges of becoming parents.
1. New Beginnigs

**Invid Lullaby**

_A sequel to Second Chance_

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 1**

**_New beginnings  
_**-

Scott opened his eyes lazily and blinked trying to adjust to the morning light that flooded his quarters. Amidst hazy thoughts, he distinguished memories of the previous night. He dreamed that Marlene had returned to him. It didn't take long for him to face reality, though. A simple turn of his head had him facing her, laying asleep peacefully on his bed.

Happiness, nervousness, relief and love. He felt many emotions at once. Although he had doubted she would ever want to see him again, she traveled from the far end of the universe to find him.

Before the Regiss took her away, they had shared a deep mental connection. They saw deep inside each other's heart and he felt she had forgiven him. This was a new beginning and he set all his will on not wasting it stupidly.

Fatherhood seemed an overwhelming yet promising prospect. A longing to hold the woman he loved invaded him. Only, caring he might disturb her rest, he stopped short of it. As a future mother, she needed sleep, lots of it.

The Captain's thoughts drifted. Images of his son growing up filled his mind: his first smile, his first steps, the first time he would call him dad. Every detail would be so unique and important. Without noticing it, he was smiling broadly. Then, however, dark thoughts replaced his reverie.

He had seen children of Zentraedi, Tirolean, Triumvirate clone and human mixes. Those races shared similar genetic structures and there hasn't been any significant complications for mothers or babies, either at birth or afterwards. Only, the Invid were different. His son would be unlike any baby he ever knew of.

A swirl of questions took over his attention. What if things went wrong? What if his baby didn't look human at all? Would Marlene lay an egg... or something! He gulped. What the hell was he thinking! He frowned, mad at himself.

He left the bed as carefully as his current state of mind allowed him. After splashing his face with ice-cold water, he managed to calm down his crazy thoughts. Mechanically, he dried the drops that covered his forehead and cheeks.

The bathroom's door hissed lowly as it sled open for him. He watched Marlene on the bed. She seemed fragile and unaware of any danger as she rested.

An unwanted chill traveled through him as he fought uncertainty and fear. Who would be able to assist her during her pregnancy and at birth? Would anyone know what to do? Moreover, who could be trusted to know about their son's origins?

Marlene stirred faintly. She moved her arm reaching for Scott, but his side of the bed was empty. After a sleepy yawn, she opened her eyes and saw him walking toward her. By the time she focused on his face, his worried frown had vanished.

"Hi" he said smiling and leaned over to kiss her good morning.

-

As the wind caressed her face, the blond woman remembered warmly the time when they had first traveled together. It had been the time when Rand and her fell in love the deepest.

After the loss of two of their closest friends, Rand and Rook decided it was time they traveled again. The morning following Lancer's departure, they said good-bye to Lunk and Annie, promised the disheartened teenager they would keep in contact and took the road on their cyclones.

They had been traveling for a few days. At the moment, he was guiding her to a place he had found on a small excursion he took alone. They reached an area atop of a small hill. He suggested taking a break and brought her to rest next to him on the grass. The evening was warm. Like in the good old times, they watched the sunset and waited for the dark sky to cover them.

"Nice spot you found," she told him looking at the stars.

"Glad you like it, Rook," he replied turning his head so he could see her. She sat up and stretched, opening her arms wide, then supported her weight on her hands, leaning backwards slightly. He sprung his torso upwards and crossed his legs in front of him. As if unsure of something, he gave her an intent look.

"What is it, Rand?" she inquired noticing his expression.

"I know this is not the best time... With what happened and all... But I don't want to wait any longer..." He hesitated to continue disconcerting Rook; then, without taking his eyes from her, he added simply, "will you marry me?"

Taking her silence as a bad sign, Rand got nervous. "If you don't want to, I'll understand," he said hiding his disappointment. Then, instead of answering Rook pulled him close to her and searched for his lips.

"I will," she said before they kissed.

-

"Yay!" chirped Annie as soon as she heard the news. Rook was on the phone, calling from a small town where her and Rand had settled in.

"What's going on?" asked Lunk intrigued by the teenager's sudden burst of happiness. She had been dispirited ever since the Invid incident at New Liberty.

"It's Rook, her and Rand are getting married!" she replied excitedly wagging the phone. "We have to get over... Uhhh... Hold on," she paused forgetting the name of the place her friends were at. " What's the name of the town again, Rook?" she inquired over the phone. " Santa Fe, Lunk. We got to be there ASAP," she told him, grinning. " I'm Rook's maid of honor!"

Lunk nodded amused and watched Annie's happiness silently. He was thankful that at last there was some good news.

-

With the rhythmical humming of engines in the background, they traveled south following the coastline. Lancer felt a secret joy, the joy of having her exclusively for him, the joy of riding side by side, just the two of them.

It wasn't that he didn't miss his friends, in fact he did, deeply. He could not wait to see Marlene and congratulate her and Scott on the news; and of course, he wanted to be there for Rand and Rook. But the time he had with his wife in the forest, after she miraculously returned to him, that time, he would cherish for life.

Sera and her sister had escaped the Invid and returned to Earth. From his wife, Lancer learned that Marlene confronted the mother and somehow forced her to release them. Sera didn't know exactly why the Regiss bent to Marlene's wishes -half conscious, as she was when it occurred- but she did remember it had something to do with the baby and that she had sensed a hint of fear in the collective Invid mind. After the sisters left, their link to their species was severed.

The singer couldn't picture the gentle Marlene he knew forcing the powerful Invid Regiss into submission -in fact, forcing no one... Well, maybe a certain Captain- but Sera's presence was proof, she had.

A mangled and rusty sign carelessly dumped on one side of the road caught his eye. Wanting to take a closer look, he pressed on the brakes and forced the speedy race of his bike to a halt. "Bienvenidos a Santa Fe," read the once pristine white letters over the weathered metallic panel. The city ought to be close ahead.

After a few minutes, he saw it. "This is it," he announced, removing his helmet. Sera followed suit letting a cascade of lustrous light green hair wave freely in the air. They smiled despite the tiredness apparent on their faces. It wasn't just the natural exhaustion from another long day spent under the blazing sun, but something deeper. Living as fugitives had taken its toll on them, they longed for a place where they wouldn't have to hide anymore.

A tabloid reporter had finally pieced the puzzle together and denounced the famous Lancer Belmont's wife Sera was a humanoid Invid. He was away in a secluded forest brewing coffee and planning to go after her when it happened. But then, against all odds, Sera returned. They did nothing but catch up with each other for the following days.

When he finally contacted his personal assistant, she tipped him on the brewing scandal and, after reporting on the state of his finances, she resigned.

"Invid Spy Shares Rock Star's Bed," read the title of the infamous piece and was followed by file photos of them at happier times intertwined with gruesome shots of green-bloodied captured Invid.

After that, they couldn't return home to New York where hate for the Invid ran rampant. They had to keep a low profile with limited access to their assets. Fortunately they both weren't the kind who get attached to material possessions.

Lancer wasn't bothered by the nature of this rough new beginning, perhaps it would do him some good. He had been haunted by the image of his gun on Sera's temple and her fragile hand pressing the trigger. He needed to forget. Perhaps away from New York and their past life he would be able to. At least he had one thing to thank the Regiss for. She had snatched Sera from him, just before the alien princess had a chance of doing it herself, irrevocably.

-

_Special thanks to Nighthunter for being my beta for this chapter._

For fan art related to this chapter, visit my website.


	2. Investigation

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 2**

**__**

Investigation

------------

Scott drove a military vehicle past the gate of New Liberty. A grocery bag rested on the copilot's seat. He had gone out to fetch some breakfast for Marlene. She asked for Vienna sausages and a mint chocolate bar, reminiscing of a time when she had tasted them with Rand and Annie. Scott argued it would be impossible to get those items at the base, but she insisted that the baby and her "had" to have them. Imagining the contrasting flavors axed the Captain's appetite, but she had said the magic words. What wouldn't he do for them? Unable to resist her pleading look and warning her it may take him a little time, Scott went on a quest. It was 6:30 in the morning.

At 8 o'clock, he was sipping from his dark coffee cup and watching her across the little table in his quarters. She ate with appetite. Sausages and chocolate got her attention first; then, however, she concentrated on cookies and milk that he had thoughtfully brought along.

She was the cutest thing wearing a milk mustache. Sadly, he didn't have much time to enjoy the sight. Work waited. Admiral Hayes Hunter had scheduled a meeting for that morning. He left Marlene in his quarters thinking there was no immediate danger, no one knew about her being there.

------------

Through Scott's window, Marlene saw never-ending blue, soft like a blanket. She thought she would never see Earth's sky again; that she would inevitably lose her memories of it. But she had made it back. Her baby would grow up on this planet, with his dad.

Humanity's home world was beautiful. She felt the need to be outside and feel the warm sunlight on her skin. Scott had asked her not to go out. He worried something could happen. But there really wasn't anything to fear.

His quarters were comfortable, but the confinement was smothering her. She needed just a little peek outside, a short walk to clear her mind. She was sure the baby would enjoy it. It wouldn't take her long and, of course, she'd be careful.

------------

By noon, the square-shouldered man scrambled to hold to the shopping bags that had slowly slipped out of his grip. He repressed an unintelligibly curse as the sea of fancy plastic pink, blue, yellow and transparent bags laid spread around him on the floor.

Among diverse items, a feminine dress and a delicate pair of panties had peeked outside catching the eye of several passers-by. Quite a sight he was. He felt his cheeks burning hotter with each giggle he heard behind his back. He hurried to pick the stuff up, but then he saw the baby shoe. It had fallen out too. He knew there was time -well, he thought there was time- before the baby arrived, but couldn't stop himself from buying it after he saw it behind a window. He collected it from the floor and, for a second, felt how soft it was. He smiled; Marlene would like it.

"Awwww," he heard coming from a group of women that had been watching his misadventure. Red faced, he stood up, found his way into the elevator and headed home to Marlene.

He planned to drop off the new clothes which he got for her between meetings. The stuff he lent her from his wardrobe was way too big for her. Close to his quarters, he felt anxious to see her. Just before opening the door, he promised himself to never set his foot inside a lingerie shop again.

"Hi," he said, but there was no one inside his quarters to reply.

------------

The midday sun warmed her skin. She sat on a bench facing a grassy plaza.

She wished that it was a garden, but under the current circumstances, the small green courtyard and its sparse bushes wasn't that bad.

The place was deserted when she arrived. Since then only a few people strolled by. That was best. She felt a little silly in the clothes she was wearing. A white T-shirt that reached just above her knees; it may as well be a dress by the length of it. Navy blue sweatpants held in place by a belt and folded inwards at the bottom. Running shoes size 9, men's. She had been very careful after the first time she tripped in them. All in all, her little adventure made her happy. Nothing could dampen her spirits at that moment.

Minutes passed and she decided it was time to return. She didn't want to worry Scott. She reached the nearest door and walked through the base's wide corridors. Information screens were distributed along the way, particularly at points were the flow of people was heavier. It was news time. She could tell by the anchor's voice. She had heard him before.

She walked past a group gathered in front of a screen in order to reach a water fountain. She had just finished sipping from the refreshing liquid when she saw them. Lancer and Sera's pictures were on the screen. Her blood froze. Her sister's identity had been discovered and exposed in a vile and biased way. She felt pain traveling through her belly. They were talking about the "slug" that seduced Belmont.

Suddenly she was angry. Images from that report had upset her. The more she thought of it, the worse she felt. The battered captives, lost; the strenuous trip back, wasted; her hopes for a bright future, crushed. Her emotions were affecting the baby, she could sense it. Anguish dug deep inside her. Why couldn't Earth be a safe place for her and her son? She just wanted to have a life with Scott - a peaceful life.

------------

Scott was about to lose it when she arrived home.

"Marlene!" he burst out upon seeing her. He ran and held her arms tightly. "I was so worried about you! Don't do this to me!"

"I'm sorry, Scott," she said teary.

He noticed her emotional state and felt completely guilty. Pregnant women go through a lot of changes. He shouldn't have lashed out at her like that.

"I didn't mean to sound so harsh," he said very softly. "I just don't know what I'd do if something happened to you." She snuggled against him.

"It's not you," she said.

"What is it?"

"The news. Sera's been exposed as an Invid."

"What?" he turned on the TV and saw it. He hugged Marlene against him while the report on the alien seductress continued to unravel on the screen. He thought that it wouldn't take long for someone to remember that Invid Sera had a sister. And it didn't.

------------

The inevitable occurred soon enough. Scott was detained and questioned; his quarters, searched and Marlene, arrested.

Now he waited, escorted by the military police, and wondered if he could have done anything different to protect her. How could this be happening? It was a big mistake.

Finally, it was time for him to go in for his audience. Once more, Scott was in that office. The place looked virtually the same as the last time, the only difference being a new door. He remembered the deceased General who had occupied it, Weston. Now it was Admiral Lisa Hayes Hunter's. Again, just as before, he was nervous.

The Admiral dismissed the guards. He was grateful for her courtesy about having some privacy for the matter they'd discuss. Without preamble, he told the story, the important parts of it. He went over Marlene's contribution to the Regiss departure from the planet at the end of the Invid war. Her help again, during the crisis at New Liberty. This was the chance he had been granted to defend the Invid captive and he tried his best to make a serious and logical case for the prisoner; but his feelings betrayed him. It was obvious Marlene held an important place in his affections. For good or bad, his narration held the Admiral's full attention. Lisa looked into the captain's eyes. Was she searching him for a sign of deception?

"You understand that I have to abide by the established policy, Scott?" she broke plainly. The unaltered tone of her voice and glossy green in her eyes sealed any clue about her position from Scott. "These are certainly attenuating factors, but there's only so much I can do," she added seeing the hopelessness on the Captain's face.

"What will happen to her?" he asked lowly. The suspense was killing him.

"Standard procedure. The military police will conduct testing and then interrogation. Within limits, of course." He was crushed by the response.

"She can't be subjected to those procedures, Admiral. There must be something you can do!" he said, his voice edging on insubordination.

"Captain Bernard!" her tone was a warning. "I'll do what I can." Her expression was grave but inside, she felt sorry for the young man.

"You don't understand, Marlene can't go through all that."

"Are those your feelings speaking, Captain? Marlene is a trained Invid soldier. She will be fine."

"No, she wont!" he said snapping. "Not while she's pregnant!" he added, shocking Admiral Hayes Hunter.

------------

For related fan art, visit my website.


	3. Intervention

**Invid Lullaby**

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

Chapter 3  
_Intervention_

------------

He was worried sick and mad. 24 hours ago they took her away and he didn't have any news since. What were they doing to her? He imagined Marlene and the baby being prodded by the medical staff. If anything happened to them, he would kill those bastards.... God! He was going crazy.

"I need to get out of here!" the man finally snapped, violently hitting the table in front of him. He made a run for the door of the low level security room where he was being held and knocked down an unprepared guard in his way. It was a silly attempt to flee, but he wasn't himself at that moment. He just wanted to find Marlene.

A group of military policemen chased after him and managed to stop him. "Calm down, Captain! For your own safety, don't resist!" barked one, which seemed the leader of the group. Bernard struggled to free himself. "Let go off me!" he yelled as he fought. The men continued dragging him into his cell despite the difficulty. Once there, he almost didn't feel the diminutive needle they inserted in the back of his neck. Then, it was dark.

------------

Her swollen sleepless eyes were fixed on the smooth metallic panel in front of her. The food offered to her remained intact on its tray. Deep in thought, Marlene felt helpless.

With some effort, she could have broken free from the human prison that kept her. She could transfigure into energy and exit the building through the ventilation system. She had gotten in that way; those walls wouldn't confine her. But as the baby grew inside her, the risks augmented. She wasn't sure she could manage at this point of her pregnancy. She feared. What if unlike her, her son's human half couldn't endure the transformation? Also, it would be pointless to leave. Where'd she go, after all? And if she did, there'll be no hope left for Scott and her.

If only subtly, she had been feeling the mental agony her partner was in. He had been detained as well. But for a while now, she hadn't been able to feel him anymore. Something was wrong.

Then, the woman entered her cell. She was slender, tall and pale. Her ways denoted authority. Marlene could tell she was an important officer even without noting the collection of decorations pinned onto her uniform. The prisoner expected colder features from yet another officer about to interrogate her. All the previous ones had been relentless in their questioning. But in the green eyes that examined her this time, Marlene just saw serenity.

The Admiral studied the prisoner. She'd heard all about humanoid Invid before, but never saw one from so close. It was amazing. If merely for the strange hair color and a little too perfect skin, she would never have guessed the woman in the cell was an Invid. She had nothing in common with the sluggish kind she had dealt with during the Sentinels campaign.

Marlene's pale fragility seemed anything but dangerous. In any case, her armed escort flanked her in the room. Across from her, the Admiral looked into the prisoner's eyes. Desperation and pain filled her reddish brown irises.

"Marlene, I'm Admiral Lisa Hayes Hunter," the woman introduced herself and sat down in front of her. With a simple gesture, the guards stayed behind.

"I have some questions for you," she said calmly. "What will happen next partly depends on your answers." Marlene nodded.

"Let's start from the beginning, shall we?"

"Okay," Marlene's reply was almost inaudible.

"How did you come to know Captain Bernard?"

Marlene sighed. "I must know, is he all right?"

"He'll be fine," the Admiral responded after a subtle pause. Nonetheless, the attentive prisoner picked up her interlocutor's hesitation and her eyes widened with concern.

"Did something happen to him?" Marlene asked scared.

Lisa breathed deeply and softened, her instincts told her this woman wasn't an enemy. But the Invid had shown to be deceptive before. Marlene seemed so young; maybe she was as young as her own son. And there was something vaguely familiar about her that she couldn't entirely pin down. Her voice; she had heard that voice before. No, that couldn't be. "I'm imagining things," the Admiral told herself.

"He's resting now. He was quite agitated and worried about you two," Lisa said glancing at Marlene's belly. The captive grew anguished. "He'll be okay, I promise," she added, feeling strangely compelled to calm the captive down.

Marlene closed her eyes. "It is a long story, Admiral," she said at last.

"I'm all ears," the Admiral answered.

------------

It had been a long day. She entered her quarters and, after taking off her shoes, let out a sigh of relief. Why the hell did the RDF think high heels where appropriate attire for admirals in the force? That archaic policy needed some review and she would make sure that was taken care of.

She massaged her sore neck and noticed the message waiting indicator light blinking relentlessly for attention.

"Review personal messages," Lisa ordered.

"You have two new encrypted messages, Admiral," a generic voice informed.

"Open using personal key Hayes #5658," she requested.

"Authenticating..." the voice informed while the light pulsated imperceptibly. "Access authorized."

"Hi Admiral," his voice said sweetly after he materialized on her holoscreen. "I guess you're working late tonight," He sighed. "Your son and I miss you, sweetheart... Call when you get there, all right? Love you, bye." Then a blip.

"Message terminated," the voice again, changeless.

"Time of message?" inquired Lisa.

"1800 hours." 2200, she read on her watch and sat on her bed.

"Review next message," the Admiral ordered. It had been Rick again, an hour later.

She missed him too. With her investigation wrapping up, she thought her time on Earth and away from her family was about to be over. Then, however, Captain Bernard's Invid lover -pregnant Invid lover, she now knew- was discovered at the base. She had harbored suspicion about Marlene's true origins; the thought of a mix child, nonetheless, had never crossed her mind. How was that even possible? And what was she supposed to do about the being that Marlene was carrying? Would it be an egg? She shook her head.

"Wonderful," she thought tiredly. This incident would just extend her assignment for who knows how many more months.

With the media feasting over the singer's Invid wife's story, no one needed another scandal. The latest incident had been handled discreetly and Lisa Hayes Hunter had been extremely clear about the consequences that would befall upon the source of any information leaked at New Liberty.

She remembered her heated interview with young Bernard. Lisa, the Admiral, wished to send him to a military prison. Lisa, the woman, felt sympathy for him. She was a parent and understood what he was going through. He had seen better days.

Scott Bernard. Dr. Lang's godson. Enrolled at barely 15 years of age. Served the forces well since and on occasion even earlier. Now a Captain. Impeccable service sheet, a leader, skilled, driven, loyal... but also idealistic, young, hotheaded and vulnerable to the weapons of love. But... weren't we all victims of those at one point or another?

The pain on her neck asserted itself, and she reached for the muscle relaxant medication on her night table. Fast acting energo-patches. God bless medical science.

Bernard reminded her of another man in more than one way. Commodore Max Sterling. She admired the famous ace's courage to marry Miriya Parino, a Zentraedi warrior, in the middle of a feral war against her people. She remembered congratulating them both upon learning about Miriya's prodigious pregnancy. She remembered too, holding baby Dana in her arms and wishing she was her own. It all seemed eons ago. Maybe it had been.

What was the difference now? Well, Marlene's personality was anything like Miriya's for one. She smiled remembering the strong tempered Zentraedi, a close friend of hers, for many years now.

It was ironic. This time she was the admiral, like her mentor Gloval had been thirty years earlier when faced with a similar situation. There were attenuating factors in Marlene's case that weren't there for Miriya. But also, Gloval didn't have the RDF Council ready to crucify him if something went wrong. The SDF-1 had been at any rate abandoned by all Earth forces. Gloval had certain freedoms she didn't.

She went over the facts she'd learned from Marlene and from Scott. Emotions aside, her mind searched for the best course of action.

The warm patch worked its magic. The pain faded. "Open a private channel," she ordered. "Use personal privacy key, Admiral Rick Hunter, Moon Base, at once." Promptly, the link was established. His serene smile came to life on her holoscreen.

"Admiral," he greeted in his charming voice. "I'd lost hope of talking to you tonight. How are you?"

"Dying to kiss you, Hunter," she told him.

"When you say things like that, you make me want to board the first shuttle for Earth, you know," he said.

"Then I'll continue," she teased.

------------

He recovered his senses to the feeling of hammering pain inside his head. "Those bastards had used a tranquilizer on him! Damn them." He attempted to sit up, but the pain intensified. He lay back again. Maybe if he gave his body a few extra minutes. He tried it again, slowly this time and finally managed to see the room he was in from a vertical position. It was bright outside. He wondered how long he'd been out.

The door opened suddenly. A group of guards came in. "Captain Bernard," one said. "Same old bastard from before," Scott realized feeling his blood boil. "Admiral Hayes Hunter is waiting. Follow us, please. Be advised that we'll carry on our orders at any cost."

"Fine," barked the Captain.

------------

"Captain Bernard is here, Admiral," an aide informed.

"Very well," Lisa said and sighed. "Make him come in, please, Joanne." The Admiral turned her head from the door to her desk and in the process, got a glimpse of Marlene's expectant face. It had been a hard decision to make. Thanks God she had been able to talk to Rick last night. He had offered his help and support in her choice.

Scott was brought into the room. His piercing blue eyes scrutinized the Admiral. Anger coated his face. His armed companions remained at close distance. As fierce as the young man looked, the sight of Marlene sitting calmly by Lisa's desk instantly dissolved his rage. He looked at her and, in an instant, realized his anger wouldn't serve his purpose. He had to be smart about this if he wanted Marlene and his baby to be safe. He relaxed.

"I'm glad you've calmed down, Captain. Things would have gotten worse otherwise," the Admiral warned. He looked down. Then, she dismissed the guards.

"You better sit down, now," she told him. "We have important matters to discuss."

"Henry, wherever you are, I hope you'd approve of what I'm about to do," Lisa thought as she looked at the troubled couple in front of her.

------------

For related fan art, visit my website.


	4. Freedom lost

**Invid Lullaby**

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 4**

_**Freedom lost**_

------------

"De shuttle vill arrive in five days, Lisa," informed Dr. Lang in his heavily accented voice. " Preparations to receive 'our guest' started as soon as Rick spoke to me, but thees eez as fast as ve kould make it."

"Nine days is impressive for all you had to arrange, Dr., thanks for your promptness," she replied.

"You don't have to thank me, Lisa, Scott eez my godson, after all." The old Doctor shook his head lightly, " und I am koncerned about him."

"I know, Emil. Nevertheless, your help has been invaluable," she insisted. He nodded.

"Rick still has some work to do on the Kouncil. De Karbarran delegation eez not sold on de idea. 'Her' arrival will be kept sekret. I rekommend you maintain all your kommunications enkrypted for now. "

"I understand, Dr."

"See you soon, Admiral," he saluted.

"Good bye," she said returning the gesture.

------------

Marlene sighed. She looked through the window of the space she was confined to. Admiral Hayes Hunter had placed Scott and her under house arrest.

"Freedom," she thought, had been so close, yet it had escaped her. It was farther now than the tiniest lights blinking at her from the nearby city. She couldn't go for many reasons, her feelings for one; they were like invisible forces which tied her down subtly, like the glass in front of her. She placed her palms on it and felt the cold, inert surface.

Her prison was cozy. The Admiral made sure Marlene got what she needed. And for that, she was grateful. The questioning had stopped and at least Scott and her were together. But for all in life, she had learned, there would be a price to pay.

Scott couldn't escape the despair he felt. He sat on the bed and watched Marlene. If not for the Admiral's decision to keep them together, his worries for her and the baby would have driven him crazy. Soon though, uncertainty would rule their lives once more. Scott didn't know what would happen when the deal the Admiral offered them entered its next stage.

------------

"That takes care of Lancer," announced Rand after he hung up the archaic phone. "His assistant's expecting him to call soon. She'll give him the message," he added, coming closer to Rook. " Only one call left to make," he said.

"Mhmm," she agreed while her eyes evaded his look.

"It's your turn, Rook," he grinned, placing his hands behind her back and driving her closer to the old phone booth. " Don't tell me you're nervous now? It was your idea to call everyone."

"I know, I know," she gave in grudgingly. "Just gimme a minute, ok?" she said, swooshing him away. She dialed nervously thinking about the best way to tell her friend. Ring one, Ring two... Rook gulped. Scott had just lost Marlene. No matter what she said, the news was just going be like pouring salt in his wound! Ring three... "Maybe he's not home," she hoped but then he answered. It was too late to back away.

"Hi Scott," she said.

"Rook!" he answered, surprised that the call had been allowed to go through. He was sure it would be monitored and therefore he had to be careful.

"Be casual Rook... Or better... Be fast," she told herself. "Scott... Uh, Rand and I, we, well... We are getting married... And it would really mean a lot to us if you made it to the ceremony," she added. A tomb would have made more noise than he would. God, she felt so bad. "You're probably busy and with what happened... I... Rand and I... Didn't mean anything... Jeez, Scott, say something... Are you all right?"

"Congratulations to you both," he said sincerely. Then he thought of how to explain all that had happened to him.

"What?!" Rook froze.

"What is it?" inquired Rand noticing Rook's perplexity.

"Ma... Marlene's back!" Rook let out ecstatically. " And she's... She's pregnant?!"

"Marlene's back and she's pregnant!?" Rand scratched his head in disbelief. "The old soldier's really gone mad this time." Yet, something on Rook's expression told him that it was true.

"My God! How is she?" Rook asked Scott, managing to get a hold of herself.

"Wait a minute there... Transferred? Where?" she inquired and heard an answer she didn't like. Scott was being incredibly evasive. "Why?" She added. For a man who got the love of his life back and was going to be a father, Scott sounded awfully down. Something wasn't right. "Why can't you tell me, Scott?" She pressed.

Meanwhile, Rand couldn't take it anymore. He gestured Rook to give him the phone. At first she brushed off his attempts to take the antique from her, but then released it with frustration.

"Damn, Scott! You drop all these news on us and now you can't tell us what's going on? How is Marlene? Where the hell are you going? And why?" He yelled.

Rook could hear Scott yelling back on the line. After a while, both men calmed down. Rand listened quietly for what seemed an eternity.

"At least tell me, is she ok?" Rand asked. Rook grabbed his hand. He nodded. Scott had told him Marlene was ok.

"We'll be waiting for news. And one more thing, Scott, take care and tell Marlene that we love her and the baby..." Then, Rand hung up the phone. "Something's stinking here," he mumbled.

------------

The moon shuttle's lights glowed at New Liberty's airstrip. Ground personnel scrambled to get everything ready for the ship's departure. Flanked by two guards, Scott and Marlene reached the main platform's end. They would take the few remaining steps toward the door by themselves.

Through the narrow glass tunnel, against the dark blue sky, Marlene distinguished bright, dusk tones on the vanishing clouds. This planet was supposed to be their home. Why did it have to end this way? She felt Scott's hands on her arms.

The Admiral waited by the entrance. " It's time," she said.

The door closed behind them.

------------

Scott saw Marlene's silhouette against the shuttle's observation window. Earth's luminous contour slowly drifted away. He gently took her hand in his. She turned to look at him for an instant with sparkling eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Our friends."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, caressing the small belly that was starting to show on her and feeling her soft back against his chest.

"I wish we could have attended the ceremony," she said.

"Me too," he replied. He remembered seeing a picture of Marlene in a bridesmaid's dress from Lancer and Sera's wedding day. His thoughts wandered... Would Marlene want a wedding like that? Would it have a real meaning for her? As an Invid, was she even interested in that bygone human ritual?

A faint memory came to him: a sweet girl with long brown hair and big eyes. It had been a long time ago... The Captain kissed the beautiful woman in his arms and he felt how much she meant in his life. Maybe soon the time would come for him to tell her exactly how he felt.

But then and there, Scott couldn't escape his acute worries for mother and baby. In the difficult position the couple had been - apart from each other, incommunicado, and even sedated at times - accepting the Admiral's offer was their only option. They took it, strongly suspecting that it would entail more than a free ticket for the moon shuttle.

Admiral Lisa Hayes Hunter had offered protection in exchange for them cooperating fully with a scientific team assembled on the moon that was led by Dr. Lang, his godfather. Scott wondered, what exactly full cooperation meant? Nevertheless, if things went well, Marlene would get the best possible help with her unusual pregnancy at Moon Base.

Despite the assistance Admiral Hayes Hunter's intervention had proportioned, her real plans continued to be a mystery for Scott. He wasn't sure she would stand by them in the future, but he found Dr. Lang's involvement comforting. He hadn't seen him in years, but in spite of the old man's rabid obsession with science, Scott kept a fond memory of him.

Their departure was handled with secrecy. Partly because of the xenophobic state of earth and partly, Scott suspected, because of obstacles within the RDF Council headquartered on the planet's natural satellite. Not surprisingly, Admiral Hayes Hunter hadn't let him in on all the details.

On the Moon, tolerance for alien races was much higher than on Earth. Diplomatic representatives of many worlds had moved there and with them came dozens of medical specialists. Maybe their experience would help when Marlene needed it. But would they be willing to help her? Scott wasn't blind to the fact that these races came from the Sentinel's region, where the Invid had enslaved, killed and destroyed.

Not knowing what was coming their way made Scott uncomfortable and anxious. If worse came to worse, would he be able to defend his family single-handedly?

Admiral Rick Hunter had been informed about the situation and thanks to his wife, agreed to help get the Council's approval, but the task proved to be more difficult than initially thought.

Marlene saw the silent worries in his blue eyes. "I love you Scott. Thanks for caring for us," she told him.

"I am the one who's thankful, my love, for having you back in my life," he replied. She cuddled against him, feeling safe. It felt so right to have her in his arms and he couldn't help but wonder what she would think about him asking her to marry him.

"What do you remember of Lancer and Sera's wedding, Marlene?"

"Well... You couldn't make it," she said, " I thought about you a lot that day."

"You did?"

"Mhmm." He hugged her tighter and wished he had been there.

"I remember my sister a lot too. She was as happy as a child with a new toy," she giggled. "Lancer had explained to her what it meant to be married and Sera decided she wanted to do it for him. It was something so new to my sister, something so different from the Invid way... Two people promising to be together for better or worse on their own free will... "

Scott pondered Marlene's words for a while. "Would you want to be married in a ceremony like that one day?" he ventured nervously.

She smiled sweetly at him. "Being with you is all I want Scott, I don't need a ceremony to promise to be with you through good and bad times."

"Oh." He sounded somewhat disappointed.

"I'm sorry," she said with a sad voice. " Maybe a human bride would feel a different way… I will never know," she looked down.

"Never be sorry of being what you are, Marlene. You are more kind and human than many I've known. I love you and I promise here and now that I will stand by you through good and bad times too." He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently.

"It wouldn't hurt, though -if we have a ceremony... One day, when all this is over," she said once their lips parted. He smiled and hugged her, not wanting anything but to hold her like that. But the danger they were in throbbed in the back of his mind. A wedding would have to wait for calmer times.

"When all this is over," he repeated in his mind.

------------

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	5. Heaven and Hell

**Invid Lullaby**

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 5**

_**Heaven and Hell  
**Dedicated to Admiral RT**  
**_

------------

Rand stood still and contained his urge to pace back and forth at the altar. Rook was running late.

They had found the place by fluke. It was a Spanish-style chapel by the ocean, covered with signs of time and war. It was a miracle that the ancient building had survived decades of alien onslaught and high tides. He thought of it as a symbol, a defiant proof of humanity's endurance.

As he waited with the priest behind him, he examined the benches in front of him. Scattered through the first and second rows, he distinguished familiar faces, puzzlement was evident on their expressions. Not having any suitable explanation to give, Rand shrugged nervously.

Where was she?

------------

Emil Lang and his godson hadn't talked much since the young man's departure to fight the Invid. Scott's arrival to Moon Base didn't change the fact that much. Both men had acknowledged each other and knew a conversation was pending between them. However, in the hurry to cover up Marlene's arrival, a brief greeting was all they could exchange.

Now, their time to talk had come to be. The Captain expected a long and disapproving speech about his choice of women. He clearly recalled that the man who mentored him during his teenage years, away from his parents, had always been strict. Surprisingly, the dreaded talk didn't happen. Although a part of Emil Lang was concerned for Scott in a rather paternal way, it was evident that the scientist was delighted by the prospect of a hybrid child.

Scott didn't know if that fact should relieve him or scare him to death. Of all people, he was the one who had most closely witnessed the doctor's obsession with research and knowledge. During his years with Lang, Scott had learned that nothing can be observed so closely without being altered and some times even being accidentally destroyed by overzealous interest.

Scott refused to imagine what could happen if Marlene and his son became the latest subject of relentless study on Lang's list.

------------

Marlene closed her eyes and focused. The metallic entrails of the machine they had strapped her to were cold. She sighed. At least this time the doctor had assured her it wouldn't take long. Or had it been for some other test she had already taken? She didn't remember anymore. The drugs they had given her were making her feel very sleepy and weak. This or that machine, this or that test, they were all the same.

Her first encounter with the medical staff hadn't been great. Assorted pairs of cold, alien eyes examined her. She was like an exotic insect under a kid's magnifying glass. By now, they had tested every fluid in her body and ran every imaginable scan on her. The procedures were taxing. Due to her nursing training, she knew what they were doing -nothing really dangerous, so far. She didn't know how, but she would flee -all be damned- if they tried anything that would hurt her baby. She had, after all, escaped the Invid Regiss.

Some members of the multi-species medical staff weren't always gentle, particularly when Dr. Lang was apparently not looking. But the old man was sharper than he seemed, Marlene knew. More than once she noticed how he subtly but effectively sidelined the Karbarran experts on the team. She was sure those two hadn't been his pick.

Behind those strange eyes of his, that were capable of instilling respect, if not fear in each member of the staff, Marlene saw a glint of something she desperately tried to equate to sympathy. She was frantic to find allies among these people.

Scott had been next to her as much as possible. And she knew, in spite of the strong and comforting face he always offered her, that his heart was breaking. No one could possibly want a child of his to be subjected to that much scrutinizing.

By sheer will, Marlene had been able to mentally insulate the baby from what was happening around him. Her eyes and ears ceased being his portals into this world; except, of course, when they shared time alone with his dad.

She had decided that, at the end of the day, when Scott and her were together, she wouldn't add to his worries with complaints. With each kiss and caress they gave each other, her daily encounters with this or that Invid-phobic member of the medical staff got lost in a dark corner of her mind.

They were fighting for a future together and had to be strong.

The baby was growing inside Marlene, fast. He was pulsating energy. Knowing that his consciousness was strengthening gave his mother joy. She lay still while the machine analyzed her body amidst a chorus of even hums and blips.

------------

The windows, placed high within old walls, allowed rays of sun to illuminate the medium-sized interior chamber. Rand shifted his weight from one foot to the other; anxiety was building inside him. He tried to convince himself that she would be there; it was unlike Rook to leave people waiting.

Could she have changed her mind? With Marlene and Scott's fate unknown, she might not have felt right about the ceremony. Hell, he missed and worried for them too. Perhaps they shouldn't have gone ahead with it.

Rand's sudden fears eased when the woman he loved crossed the chapel's doorframe. Her white, simple dress billowed into the room and shone, reflecting the bright light from the outside. He was so taken by his bride's beauty that he barely noticed the bridesmaids, Annie and Sera, sneaking to their seats quickly before Rook.

The groom was doing his best to hide his nervousness. In his mind, the seconds that Rook took to get close to him got stretched out of proportion. In those moments, seemingly frozen in time, he had time to wonder what in the world had brought them together. Hardheaded as they both were, it was amazing that finally they were about to be married.

He asked her once, what did she see in him? She had smiled. They had just made love for the first time.

"It couldn't have been my good looks alone," he teased, hugging her under the covers.

"You wish," she retorted amused, "you looked so helpless, country boy, I couldn't bring myself to leave you on your own."

"Ha! I'm glad you came to your senses, lady, and stayed where I can protect you," he said. She chuckled in his arms.

"Seriously, why did you stay with me, Rook?" He asked and noticed how the mischievous frame in her eyes had faded into a tranquil, ocean blue. She thought for a while before she answered.

"You understand me, Rand, and you are sweet. I know that you'll be there for me, you'll never give up on us," she told him while she tenderly stroked his messy hair.

"I'll be there for you, Rook, for us," he replied and held her tightly. They clung to each other that night like there would be no tomorrow.

------------

Sera caught her husband's gaze and cuddled against his chest. Rand and Rook's ceremony had revived memories of her wedding to Lancer. She left everything behind to stay on earth, close to the man that had provoked so many contradictory emotions inside her. He had broken the Invid shell that isolated her from human feelings and taught her many wonderful things about love and human life.

She had never regretted her union with this man; not after the terrible pain of loosing him when the Regiss took her; not even after being disowned by her kind. She knew that she belonged with Lancer and him with her. She never imagined she could love someone the way she had learned to love him. But also now, she knew something was missing.

She thought of her sister and the new force driving her: her baby. With all her heart, Sera wished that all would turn out all right for them.

------------

"Here are the latest results," the technician told Dr. Lang. He took them and opened them casually.

"Thank you, Moira," he said.

"If that would be all, Dr. I would like to end my shift," she said.

"Yes, that vould be all for now. You kan go." The Garudan started to leave while the Dr. read on, but then Lang's voice stopped her. "Has anybody else seen these, Moira?" She turned and nodded negatively.

"Only you, Dr., and the technician who produced them." He nodded and gestured for her to leave.

------------

Rook joined Rand in front of the priest at last. The short ceremony ran its course and left the bride and groom standing face to face. Rand lifted the veil from Rook's face and sealed the priest's work with a gentle kiss.

Suddenly, loud sobs broke from the front rows of the chapel. The romantic spell that had descended upon the group of guests broke.

"Sorry guys," stammered Lunk teary, "I always cry at weddings."

Then came the congratulations.

------------

On the hallway outside the lab, someone waited for Moira, the Garudan, to pass. He looked at her straight in the eyes when she walked by him. She nodded at him subtly and gave him an envelope. The Karbarran grinned evilly as he started walking in the opposite direction. She had done what she had promised.

------------

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	6. Missing pieces

**Invid Lullaby  
**  
Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 6**  
**_Missing pieces_**

------------

Ruk'ya waited for an hour after the lab's closing time for a chance to speak to Dr. Lang, but the human didn't come out of his office. Out of patience and hungry, she left. Lang could work for days without sleep or food, especially if something pricked his insatiable curiosity. The technician could bet her salary that she knew the source of the scientist's interest that night: the latest hybrid baby's results that she had submitted.

She walked toward the section of the base that housed her race. She'd learned that Moon Base was a safe place. Unlike her home Tirol after the Invid destroyed every public safety establishment on the planet. Not once she had changed her route back home. Not once she had worried about it being late, after all, nothing ever happened on Earth's natural satellite.

Except that night.

Pressed against a wall in a dark corner, a figure waited. Fast and mercilessly, he grabbed an unaware Ruk'ya by the throat. His expert grip muffled a little cry before it could reach his victim's mouth.

------------

A refreshing marine breeze cooled the heat that the sun had imprinted on the sand. On the beach, two coupes, an older man and a teenage girl sat around a bonfire. The smell of the ocean mixed with burning wood drenched the evening while the dancing flames cast warm tones onto their faces.

"You guys have to promise you'll be there for my wedding," said Annie.

"We will," said Sera. Lancer smiled.

"Nothing will stop us, Mint," said Rand, Rook agreed, but Lunk remained silent.

"Don't look at me like that, Annie," said Lunk lastly, feeling the teenager's expectant gaze. "I thought it was obvious I'd be there. Gotta give you away," he added.

"Aww, Lunk," Annie said, and hugged her quasi father. After a while, the young girl spoke again. "I wish Scott and Marlene were here," she said, unknowingly voicing the thoughts of everyone gathered around her. "They better show up for my wedding," she added, pouted and crossed her arms in front of her.

Lancer looked at his wife. Her eyes locked into his. He wondered if she was able to feel her sister. The subtle exchange was not lost on the others.

"Can you communicate with Marlene, Sera?" Rook asked as if she had read Lancer's mind.

"Barely. The times I tried I was only able to get hints and sensations, nothing coherent," said the green haired woman, gloomily.

"But, can you tell if she's okay?" asked Rand.

Sera closed her eyes and searched for Marlene. The singer's wife felt the distance between her and her sister was too great to surmount. For brief moments she sensed that a link had been established, but it was as thin as air, impossible to hold. Sera pressed harder, gritting her teeth as she plunged deeper into the psychic plane where she hoped she could contact Marlene.

Suddenly she opened her eyes and gasped, weakened by her effort. Lancer held her while the rest of the group waited in nervous silence.

"She's too far," she said. "As hard as I tried, I couldn't..."

"Oh, no!" said Annie. Rand and Rook traded worried looks.

"... but I sensed the baby," continued the Invid princess.

"Baby? What baby?" asked Annie at a loss.

"Oh, yeah... Marlene's pregnant," explained Rook to Lunk and Annie. In the midst of the day's events, no one remembered to share the news with them.

"Pregnant! Yay!" the teenager let out, then it hit her. "Oh my God... is... is that why they left?"

"We don't know, Annie," said Rand. "Scott couldn't tell us."

Rook comforted the worried teenager.

"What did you sense, Sera?" asked Lunk.

"It was faint... but I felt my nephew. I think he... he acknowledged me," she said softly. As Sera spoke Lancer noticed a little smile forming on her face. "He has grown a lot and he seems happy... protected, somehow." Her words brought some relief to the group.

"A boy!" thought Rook aloud, searching for her husband's hand.

"Marlene, though, she... I could feel something distracting her. All her energy was focused on something I couldn't understand," Sera declared.

"Scott better contact us soon," said Rand. "I need to know what's going on."

"We all do," said Lancer.

------------

Admirals Rick Hunter and Lisa Hayes Hunter enjoyed a light Japanese dinner at Moon Base's Officers' Club.

Their busy military lives had kept them apart on countless occasions so they guarded the romantic moments they could squeeze out of their days with zealousness.

They were one of those rare pairs which still enjoyed and looked for each other's company despite decades of witnessing each other age. They were yet to grow tired of one another.

Their son was welcomed to join them any time he wanted. This time, however, practice had kept the young man from coming. Inwardly, Rick and Lisa relished the opportunity of spending time alone, especially lately. They had missed each other dearly during the time she was stationed on Earth.

"Lisa, have you thought of the trip I suggested?" Rick asked. "Club Med New Praxis' romantic retreat package seems a sweet deal," he added, "We could use our RDF officer's discount... Did I mention we get our own butler?" he emphasized jokingly.

She giggled. "No, darling, I haven't had any time. And with the Invid's situation, I just don't think we'll get a chance to go on holidays any time soon."

"Yes, I know," he sounded disappointed. "The Karbarran Ambassador's still agitated and I know he has been voicing his concerns adamantly among the rest of the diplomats. I don't want to imagine what will happen if other groups start sharing his point of view."

She could imagine. The alliance could collapse over it. An alliance that had cost years of war.

He sighed. "I wish we could leave all this behind, just for a little while. I want to be able to enjoy my wife's company without any major alien crisis lurking in the background."

"Oh Rick... I want that too." She smiled at him and caressed his cheek with her hand. He held it in his and placed soft kisses on her palm. "Let's get through this last thing, first, all right, Admiral Hunter?" she asked. He nodded.

"Care for some champagne, Admiral Hayes Hunter?" he offered, taking the bottle that was chilled for them.

"I'd love some," she replied.

"Did you know Tirolean champagne's an aphrodisiac?" Rick commented innocently, while he served the golden liquid.

"Especially cold," she winked.

They hadn't touched the glasses when their beepers went off simultaneously. Dr. Lang. He wanted to share urgent "baby" news with them.

"Must be important," Lisa said, "for Emil to be calling both of us."

"Bah," Rick gestured dismissively, "It can wait. That baby's is not going to be born anytime soon, as far as I know. Now I'm busy toasting with my wife." She gave him a reproving look that quickly morphed into an accomplice smile.

"To us," he toasted and she followed.

------------

The town generators shut down at midnight. The lights went off one after the other in a rapid sequence. Shortly after, Lunk and Annie left, exhausted by the long and emotional day. Rook and Rand followed, understandably eager to start a celebration of their own. Lancer and Sera remained by the dwindling fire.

The couple cuddled against each other. He listened to her breathing while her scent filled his senses. The Regiss had engineered her offspring like an artist a masterpiece. Everything about her intoxicated him; like it had on the first day; like it would until his last.

But that night he had seen something different on his wife's face. It was something new and intense. And it happened while she spoke about Marlene's baby. Was it possible that Sera wanted a baby of her own?

Lancer hadn't consciously thought of himself as a father -not since the joined the RDF, anyway. But he wouldn't deny anything to her, if she wanted... "A baby," he toyed with the idea. He realized that maybe it wasn't Sera. Maybe what he thought he had seen peeking behind his wife's eyes was none other than his own long forgotten desire for a family.

"It's too risky," he thought. Marlene, Scott and their baby had presumably fallen victims to Earth's xenophobia. Although Sera's vision had cast some hope that they were doing all right, Lancer couldn't tell for sure yet. The secrecy involving their whereabouts strongly hinted things weren't rosy, wherever they were taken to.

Lancer couldn't imagine contributing to Sera being in more danger than she was already. Yet, he firmly believed life was an unstoppable force and had its ways of prolonging itself. What had to be, no one would be able to stop. And a little girl with Sera's smile would be something for him to die for.

Maybe Scott and Marlene would pioneer a way for them to start a family too.

"Maybe."

------------

Baraka's solitude was disrupted by his most trusted subordinate's salute. He had been waiting for the younger alien to report.

"Was the loose piece taken care of?" he asked the Karbarran standing in front of him.

"Yes sir..." he answered, hesitating to continue.

"This place is safe, speak freely," Baraka reassured him.

"It will take weeks for anyone to find the remains, sir. If they ever do," he said lowly.

"And Lang?" inquired the older alien.

"A note of resignation was mailed to him on her behalf," answered the subordinate.

Baraka was pleased. "Not even Hunter's power in the Council will be able to help Lang now. The old man will have no other option but to use the Karbarran expert. If he sidelines us this time, his bias against us will be evident. And a biased man can't possibly control a team analyzing an Invid enemy. Can he?" the Karbarran thought sardonically.

"Well done," he said and dismissed his subordinate.

Alone again, Baraka reflected. The Karbarran ambassador and his clique wanted to destroy the Invid as soon as they learned of its arrival to Moon Base. He had convinced them to wait, regardless of his acute hate for that race. There was much to learn about this particular foe's powers. But that senile human! - Lang - had become a thorn on his side.

The doctor had used all the tricks in his hat to block the Karbarran experts from analyzing the Invid and the monstrosity growing inside it. Not this time, though. Baraka had the upper hand and he would make sure he kept it until the right time to act arrived.

He run his hand through the surface of a glossy envelope: the Invid's test results. He took solace in the fact that Lang had received only an altered copy. One that hid from him important pieces of information.

Although limited, his own scientific background had allowed him to recognize, in a basic level, the markers indicating the presence of two lifeforms. The Karbarran scientists had ultimately confirmed what he believed. The good doctor didn't and wouldn't know what he was dealing with.

"Fool," he said exhaling bitterness.

------------

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	7. Panic

**Invid Lullaby  
**  
Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 7**  
**_Panic_**

▬▬▬▬

The dimmed light of their lunar quarters allowed Scott to distinguish Marlene's motionless silhouette by his side. The soft curve of her left cheek peeked at him, followed by a smooth depression, her delicate neck. Her shoulder came next like a small hill standing against the skyline formed by the window. His eyes followed the descending path of her arm as it surrendered inch by inch to her waist. The roundness of her hip faded harmoniously along her leg. Close the the end of the bed, her figure merged with his. Warm. Soft. He felt her bare feet against his.

How many times had he kissed her all over? "Not enough," he thought, longing to kiss her then, to touch her; to brush his fingers onto her skin. He moved closer to her but stopped, feeling he shouldn't disturb her sleep. There would be time in the morning.

He remembered that Marlene had an appointment with Dr. Lang the follownig day. He would accompany her. It was meant to be a routine visit. Blood work, friendly medical chat - interrogation was more like it. An hour at most and they'd be out.

However, Scott remembered that more than once a simple checkup had turned into a whole-day at the lab. "Not tomorrow," he wished. He had plans.

Marlene had been so brave through all of this. She never complained. How did she do it? "So gentle yet so strong," he thought. Emotion flooded his mind. He encircled her in his arms and gently brought her closer to him.

Why had she fallen in love with him? How had she forgiven his many mistakes, uptightness and hardheadedness? It beat him.

Lancer sang a song for them once, precisely when he left her behind to search for the SDF-3. In it, the singer had called Marlene a gentle soul. A soul waiting for someone to show her love.

He became that man and he loved her.

▬▬▬▬

"That was a long meeting," let out Rick Hunter as he unbuttoned his uniform's jacket.

"Emil can be really thorough at times," gave in Lisa, sitting down tiredly on the sofa inside their quarters.

"He kan, my dear Lisa," agreed Rick mimicking Lang. She laughed.

"Come here, Rick," she asked him. "Sit next to me."

"Aye, aye, ma'am," he replied.

"Obedience is one sexy thing, you know?" she offered as he approached. Rick grinned. After he sat, she lay her head on his lap.

"Hmmm. You comfy, boss?" he asked.

"Very."

He started caressing her forehead following a rhythmical pattern. Lisa relaxed.

"I had never seen a scan like Marlene's. That was something... unusual," she commented.

"Yes, it was. Emil didn't seem to be concerned, though. Considering the baby's genes, a scan like that is to be expected."

"I guess so." She spoke softly and sighed enjoying her husband's warm touch.

"The baby's birth will send the Karbarran group into overdrive," Lisa added suddenly.

"Certainly. From what Emil said, it's impossible to know precisely when this baby is going to be born. It could happen any time, tomorrow, in a month or more."

"We must prepare the Council. If we go public about it ourselves, we will thwart any paranoid story they can come up with," she said. He concurred with a serious nod.

"Who knows what could happen to the poor little thing and his mother if they become targets of some political ploy," said Lisa letting her growing sympathy for Marlene and her baby surface.

He hesitated to speak. "We can't let Scott and Marlene's baby destabilize the alliance, Lisa."

"What do you mean, Rick?" She suddenly sat up.

"I just don't want you to lose your objectivity about this. We don't know enough to rule out the possibility of him being a threat." She stood up and walked away from him.

"You can't be serious, we are talking about a baby!"

"One you seem to have grown quite attached to, Lisa," Rick continued. She went silent for a while.

"You don't need to worry, Rick. I, more than anyone, know how important the alliance is," she finally retorted without facing him.

"Lis..."

"And yes, I've grown attached to the baby and his parents," she interrupted him. "They remind me closely of Max, Miriya and Dana." She had a point.

"After all these terrible wars, what is it that we keep fighting for, Rick? Isn't it peace? Isn't it acceptance of other races? Max and Miriya, Scott and Marlene, what are they but living proofs that our goals are possible?" He nodded, understanding.

"They are what we fight for, Rick. We can't let them be harmed!"

With eyes downcast, he walked to her, placed his hands on her arms and gently but firmly turned her to face him. He hugged her. "You are right Admiral. We cant let anything happen." Slowly, she abandoned herself to his embrace.

"Thank you, Rick."

"You don't have to thank me. It's the right thing to do. And we are a team, aren't we?"

"Yes, Admiral Hunter." He took her hands in his.

"Marlene's going to have to be placed under constant observation," he told her.

"I know." She shook her head. "Scott's going to be thrilled about that. But as Emil said, we can't afford for her to go into labor unattended."

"I bet." Rick answered. "As a father, Scott must put his son first. We'll help with all we can," he added sympathetically while he caressed his wife's back.

▬▬▬▬

Marlene and Scott sat in the waiting area adjacent to Dr. Lang's office and lab. They'd been there for more than 30 minutes. It wasn't Lang's habit to run that late. Eager to get out of there the Captain stood up and started pacing back and forth.

The receptionist informed the couple that the lab was being prepared. "For what?" he wondered. It had been perfectly fine the last time they were in.

"No more delays," he hoped. He had carefully orchestrated his surprise for her on that day.

At last, the inner door hissed open. Lang's age-hardened face emerged. When the young man's eyes met his mentor's, Scott felt something wasn't right.

With the regular blood work out of the way, Lang asked them about any new symptom or event since their last visit. Although the tone in his grave and accented voice rang calm, Scott found it slightly more abrupt than normal. However, Lang continued as usual and showed them Marlene's latest scans.

The future mother was delighted while the doctor explained what the colors represented. The father-to-be found the images strange, to say the at least. He listened to his godfather in awe, keeping his concerns to himself. What did he know in the end? He wasn't precisely an expert on pregnant Invid's scans.

When the doctor pointed out the bright green spot that was the baby for them, the untrained eyes of Scott and Marlene finally made sense of the charts in front of them. The future parents smiled and dreamed. He imagined his son's face, his tiny hands, his eyes. She saw herself cradling the little one while she sang him a lullaby.

Then, all went downhill.

"Marlene vill have to stay vith us." Lang said, after explaining the uncertainty of the birth date. That statement brought back the parents from their blissful daydreams.

"What?" the Captain said.

"She must stay, Scott."

"Stay? Where? Here?"

Lang nodded. "Arrangements were made," he said.

"N...Now?" the father stammered.

"Yes." Scott's plans went down the drain. They looked at each other.

"Change those faces, for God's sake. Marlene vill be the most komfortable voman on Moon Base, here. This eez not a prison."

"Can Scott stay too?"

"No dear. Sensors must be placed on you. My godson's presence vould alter de readings or vorse, kompletely interfere vith them."

▬▬▬▬

Scott arrived to his empty quarters and saw the flowers and the unlit candles. The food he'd ordered waited on the counter. He had asked for help to get all ready without her noticing. On her pillow, he would have set the tiny box. It remained in his pocket. There was no point on placing it, she wouldn't open it that night. Sadness overtook him.

▬▬▬▬

Marlene lay on her new bed, myriad of sensors and wires attached to her body. Cybernetic sounds filled the ambiance. It felt unnatural, sterile. Again she had been focusing on isolating the baby's consciousness. She was tired, but had to go on. Suddenly, she could hear the voice of Dr. Lang as he approached her door.

"I vill konduct today's test, Kralea. Prepare de machine, please," he said before coming into her view accompanied by several of his technicians. The Karbarran that the scientist had addressed moved to the side of the group and started readying the scanner. Marlene had never liked Kralea, there was something sinister in his eyes. The previous technician... Ruk'ya, she was nice. Whatever happened to her? The Invid woman wondered.

Lang barely greeted his patient as the scientific team took position. Marlene's belly was quickly uncovered. The contrast between the warm blankets and the cool air in the room gave her goosebumps. In no time, the scanner lowered onto her.

"Relax," the old man spoke.

She took a deep breath. The scan started.

Lang monitored the screen of his computer terminal with complete attention. He was so focused that he didn't notice the nervousness of his Karbarran assistant. Marlene watched on silently. Suddenly, the doctor's expression changed. The creases on the sides of his aged forehead collided into a frown.

"Vhat eez this?" he said as he started pressing commands into his terminal. Marlene's attention was on him.

"What is it doctor?" the patient asked.

"Nothing, dear. De skanner eez off. Ve'll need to redo it." Then, addressing his assistant, "Kralea, de skanner needs to be calibrated." The technician nodded half hidden in a distant corner of the room.

"Eez it ready yet?" Lang asked a couple of minutes later. There was no answer.

"What eez delaying you, Kralea?" he said walking towards the machine. "Let me zee... "

Before Lang reached him, Kralea finally answered. "It is ready doctor. I was just about to give you the go ahead." He sounded apologetic.

Marlene couldn't see what was going on from her bed. After a short while, Lang came by her side.

"Very vell, return to your terminals, everyone. Ve'll redo the skan. And inkrease de intensity to 2.5."

The scanner's hum started again. Lang didn't move his eyes from the screen. Marlene could see the reflections dancing on his face. She was getting more and more tired.

"There is some sort of interference, doctor," informed one technician.

"I zee it," he answered.

"Inkrease to 3.5," he ordered, oblivious Marlene's big and worried eyes. She started feeling a tickling sensation on her belly.

"We are loosing precision, doctor," insisted someone.

"Switch modes and inkrease intensity by half a point," Lang ordered.

As soon as the scan started over and more intensely, the tickles on Marlene's belly morphed into pain. The more the rays touched her skin, the more intense the pain became. She tried to move. With one look, Lang had a technician hold Marlene down.

"It hurts doctor!" she yelled. In her mind she was holding the baby and she saw he was scared. She tried to calm him, but the pain was getting to her.

"Don't move, Marlene," Lang told her. "For your safety and de baby's keep still... ve are almost done."

The pain was too intense, Marlene was losing the battle to protect her child. She fought the grip of the technician holding her but with a subtle sign, Lang ordered his assistant to sedate her. The needle came and within seconds, Marlene lost consciousness. She felt as if the baby escaped her hands.

"I can't hear the baby's heartbeat, doctor!" informed suddenly a member of the staff. "The mother's vitals are descending too!"

"The readings... the sensors, the whole system is overloaded!" another technician yelled. The lab's main lights went off. Without delay, the reddish glow of the auxiliary system flooded the room.

Lang quickly searched for Marlene's pulse. "There's only one thing to do," thought the scientist realizing how faint the throbbing on the Invid's wrist was. "Ve'll have to operate! Get me Kaptain Bernard, now!" he commanded as the woman's inert body lay resigned in front of him.

▬▬▬▬

It felt worse than the blade of a sword. The words that alerted Scott about what went on in Lang's lab shook him. He had sensed something was not right when he had to leave Marlene there and then, at 2 in the morning, he received the call. He had been awake. He hadn't even bothered to change after he arrived home. As hard as he tried, sleep wouldn't come to him that night.

How he had arrived to the lab and had gone through the sterilization chamber, he didn't know, all he could remember was seeing her laying unconscious, the worried faces of the technicians and Lang buzzing around her. Immediately, he tried to approach, but Lang's assistants didn't let him. They obstructed his way and his view of her until the doctor appeared.

It was all a blur. Lang had to yell at him to get his attention.

The doctor spoke briefly. They had lost the baby's heartbeat and had to operate to take him out right away. His life and Marlene's were in danger.

Scott was confused. Everything was all right when he left them. Lang was supposed to take care of Marlene and his son. What the hell had happened? He needed to know.

But there was no time to tell him, he had to authorize Lang to operate. Under the pressure, he did. Lang urged him to calm down and emphasized time was scarce. When he was sure Scott understood, he ordered his personnel to release him.

"Marlene," Lang spoke and placed a hand on Marlene's forehead. "I have to operate. De baby and you are in danger. If you kan hear me, hang in there." And she could hear him. As weak as she was, she passed on the thought to her son. "The doctor is going to help us, my love. Don't be scared. Come to me," she told him extending her arms to him."

The operation began, anguish rendered Scott powerless. Lang worked. His skilled hands moved so slightly but with incredible precision. It wasn't long before he took the baby from inside his mother's womb.

Slowly, a radiant convex surface appeared as Lang's hands cleared green blood splotches from it.

Scott saw it, it was an egg. His son.

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For fanart related to this chapter, visit my website.


	8. Hit or miss

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 8**  
**_Hit-or-miss_**

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The surreal sight struck Scott. Gloved fingers glowed under the intense lights of the operating room. An egg, about 5 inches wide, was held by them. The disembodied image in front of him grew closer. Seemingly, objects were moving toward him. He saw an old man's mouth moving, Lang. Words were being said, yet he couldn't make them out. The doctor carefully handed the egg to him. "Son," he distinguished from the meaningless mix of sounds his brain received. _An egg!_

From then, Scott couldn't process any thoughts coherently. As if he was hearing it through water, Scott perceived Lang's distorted voice giving orders in the background. He saw technicians working and felt the cold metal ring from a sensor they had attached to his son. The young man's blue eyes drifted from the egg in his hands to Marlene. She was not moving. As Lang's personnel wrapped up their work and moved away from her, a nauseous swirl coated the pit of the Captain's stomach.

▬▬▬▬

"An egg" was definitely not what Emil Lang had expected; moreover, it was not at all what previous tests had predicted. "The baby," by all known means, had shown to be humanoid in nature and had no visible shell. _De latest skans vere proof... De skans... _Lang searched for Kralea. The alien was nowhere to be found. O_f kourse. _He closed his eyes remembering an old curse in his native language. _I zhould have known._

The scientist's dark eyes moved onto Scott. He had walked toward the operation islet where Marlene lay on the table. Petrified, he stood just in front of her, cradling their son. V_ould he faint?_ Lang feared. But the young man composed himself, he only turned ghostly pale and was unable to articulate word. He held on, in total numbness.

That wasn't a bad thing at the moment. The scientist had no time to console him, deal with his godson's temper or answer a round of unrelenting questions.

"Scott." He shook him lightly.

"Uh?" he barely reacted.

"Protect your son," Lang whispered.

The scientist typed commands into his terminal with what seemed inhuman speed. Without delay, he activated a circular protective force field around the operation area. Usually employed to isolate delicate cases from external contamination, the shield would not allow any pathogen in or out, or any substance for that matter. At that moment, though, bacteria wasn't what Lang had in mind.

_Send security to the lab and seal off the entire medical section, immediately. _The old man commanded silently from his terminal. Promptly, security personnel appeared and hastily crossed the sterilization chamber into the room. Confused mumbles erupted ubiquitously .

▬▬▬▬

"You idiot!" Baraka roared while his assassin's fist struck Kralea, sending him on his hands and knees.

"I didn't know what to do, sir!" Kralea apologized. "Lang insisted on doing the test himself!" The Karbarran whined and watched Baraka's subordinate's fear-inspiring face. "He would have found out! We'd have been discovered!" Kralea added just before a booted foot busted the air out of him.

Baraka fumed, not bothering to watch as the pounding continued. Suddenly, he turned and with one look, stopped Kralea's torment. The battered alien whimpered on the floor.

"What is it exactly that you wanted Kralea?"

"The Ambassador orders were to... to... K...kill it... them."

_So the Ambassador's hand was on this. Stupid fossil! _Baraka was in a foul mood. Then, very calmly, he asked:"Are they dead?"

"I... I don't know," Kralea shrieked. "Lang took... an egg out of the Invid's womb. And she was so weak... she's probably dead by now. I fled during the confusion."

"An egg?" Kralea hurried to nod.

"Interesting... And the Invid's probably dead?" Another nod. Baraka meditated. Kralea saw the window of opportunity opening for him to escape. He crept slowly towards the exit, but that ludicrous attempt ignited his captor's rage.

Baraka's venomous voice vibrated. "Because of you, Kralea, what we seek is in Lang's hands and we have nothing!"

"I just followed orders... The human doesn't know about it, sir! There's a chance he..." pleaded Kralea.

"Lang's old, not an idiot like you!" he cut him off.

"The Ambassador..." Kralea tried.

"Ambassador Lraon is a pathetic example of our race!" Kralea saw his end approaching. "You are of no further use to me."

"No! Please, sir!" Kralea begged.

"Now you'll shut your mouth!" Baraka looked at his hatchet man. The latter proceeded to silence Kralea's screaming with mechanical efficiency.

▬▬▬▬

A piercing scream disrupted the town's peaceful night and waked everyone up. Lancer sprung up next to his wife.

"What is it, Sera? Are you okay?" She trembled shrouded in cold sweat.

"Something horrible happened!" she let out. At that moment, Rand and Rook entered running. "Is everything all right?" asked Rand. "We heard someone screaming!"

Lancer gestured for them to wait and be quiet.

"What, Sera? What happened?" the singer asked. Adrenaline wiggled its way up his spine. A bad feeling nibbled at his brain.

"My sister... she's hurt!" Sera cried, clutching her arms around herself.

"Are you sure, darling? Couldn't it had been just a bad dream?"

"No, Lancer, Marlene's been hurt! And her baby! I can't feel him anymore. Something happened to him too!" Sera whimpered. Lancer hugged her understanding the pain was twofold._ If Marlene and her baby were in fact damaged or destroyed by xenophobic hatred_ - he clasped his wife's body harder- _there is no hope for us to have a family either._

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After the force field closed, isolating them from the rest of the operating room, Scott finally had time to take in all that happened. The pain of thinking Marlene had died overwhelmed him to the point of impeding any rational thought. His emotions were so intense and contradictory that they had rendered him static. A wave of frustration rushed through him. He momentarily forgot he had been cradling his son, until the heat emanating from the shell penetrated the protective material of his uniform to reach his skin. The sensation nagged at him, pushing his senses to return to reality. _What?_

Carefully, he placed down the egg next to Marlene and caressed her forehead lovingly. He thought that she would have liked to hold their son. She was so pale, and still warm. Suddenly, the sanitary scents typical of a medical facility crammed his nose; the shapes of the instruments around him became in focus; the sequential sounds of the sensors plugged onto Marlene found his ears. He saw the indicators, she was still alive!

"Doctor Lang!" he yelled, realizing after, that Marlene, the baby and him were alone. A black circular surface surrounded them. _What the hell's going on?_

▬▬▬▬

Outside, Lang and security dealt with the lab's personnel. Kralea had escaped, unfortunately. The equipment was examined and the logs analyzed. Unfruitful interrogation of each crew member continued. One by one they were being released and warned to remain where they could be found at a later time.

Rick and Lisa had been summoned. The sealing of an entire section of the base was usually synonym of a major crisis developing and required a major official presence.

"Emil, what happened?" asked Lisa seeing the situation inside Lang's lab.

"Vhat didn't," he sighed, causing worried frowns to cover both admirals' foreheads. In that moment, an investigator approached the chief scientist.

"We've discovered that insanely high levels of radiation emanated during the scanner's last active session. Take a look at the log," the investigator offered, showing her hand-held electronic pad to Lang. The scientist saw it immediately. The variation was evident, almost clumsy but also, deadly.

"What does that mean, Emil?" inquired Lisa

"There has been an attempt on Marlene's and her baby's life," Lang told her and her husband, at last.

"It can't be! My God... How are they?" Lisa was shocked.

"Vell, Marlene is veak, but ve managed to stabilize her, Scott eez vith her, behind de protection field," he pointed to the black cylinder occupying the middle of the room. "I didn't vant anyone getting klose to them before sekurity arrived."

"Why is your crew being questioned?" said Rick noticing security scrutinizing each technician.

"One of my assistants, Kralea Drrak, a Karbarran, has fled, Rick," he paused. "Security eez on pursuit."

"Was he responsible for this?" Rick spoke.

"Apparently."

"What reason did he have to attack a pregnant woman and her baby? Such cruelty!"

"His race vas never varm to our Invid mother and her baby."

"Simple hatred?" Rick couldn't believe that was the sole cause.

"I suspekt more," Lang was on the same page as him. "Kralea joined de team late, he replaced my previous assistant, Ruk'ya. She vas my scanner operator and disappeared vithout a kredible explanation not so long ago. I don't have to tell you about de huge pressure that vas set on me to inkorporate Karbarran experts into my group."

"I remember, Emil," pointed Rick. "The Ambassador pulled all his strings." Lang nodded.

"But how's the baby?" Lisa said, remembering that important detail.

Lang's expression hardened. "He eez out."

"Ah! Can we see him?" Let out Lisa relieved.

"He eez out, but not born yet," Lang was quick to add. "He eez not exaktly like ve had foreseen." Lisa and Rick stiffened.

▬▬▬▬

Baraka's yellowish eyes were tainted orange. He paced in his now quiet office bitten by the negative turn events had taken. _Lraon dares to go behind my back with my own men! I'm going to teach you, illustrious Ambassador of Karbarra, whom not to ever betray._

"Lang will find out easily about the rays that moron shot into the Invid!" He spat to no one in particular. His fingers contracted into fists. "I'm surrounded by incompetence!"

In one corner, his assassin pondered if he should risk speaking. "There's still a way to succeed at our purpose, sir," he finally said. Baraka turned to him, intrigued and he listened.

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For fan art related to this chapter, vist my website.


	9. Night Watch

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 9  
_Night Watch_**

▬▬▬▬

Admiral Rick Hunter and Dr. Emil Lang needed some answers and fast. Not only was pressure mounting from the media after the closure of and entire section of the base, but also, the Council itself was uneasy. Marlene, her hybrid baby and the attempt on their lives were bound to become public.

Finding out Kralea Drrak's whereabouts, motives and possible accomplices was a priority before facing and easing the Council's increasing mistrust.

"What's the situation?" Admiral Hunter asked to his security chief.

"All transport carriers to and from the base were grounded within minutes of Dr. Lang's alert. I can assure you, Drrak hasn't left the satellite."

"Has the ground search started?"

"The forces scrambled over three hours ago, sir. The search is taking place as we speak," the chief explained.

"Excellent." Lang commented.

"Unfortunately, we haven't found any clue yet. That rat found himself a good dark hideout. But we'll will find him. Sooner or later his tracks will surface."

"Hopefully sooner, chief. I'm counting on you." With that, Rick dismissed his subordinate; the security chief saluted and left.

Rick was pensive. _Karbarrans don't just vanish into thin air._

"De investigation may need to reach into de diplomatic section of de base, Rick." Lang said gravely.

"Security will have my personal clearance to expand the search if Drrak doesn't turn out anywhere else." Lang nodded, understanding. This was a touchy subject; it could cost Rick's his position to search diplomatic quarters and find nothing.

"Drrak will be found," Rick promised himself, even it meant he would have to search the Ambassador of Karbarra's private chambers himself!

▬▬▬▬

Marlene felt a profound mental distress. Aching all over, she opened her eyes. An invisible force seemed to be holding her down onto the bed. It was heavy, painful, nauseating.

From head to toe, sensation returned. She could tell something was different; something was missing. The sensor tracking her heartbeat plunged into a frantic tune. Where was her baby?

She moaned lowly. Almost immediately, she felt a weight on her right hand. Scott.

"She's waking up!" he yelled to someone in the room. Marlene heard Dr. Lang's name being called and the hiss of a closing door.

"My baby?" she struggled to speak.

"He's very close."

"I need to see him!" She attempted to sit, but her effort ended in a painful wail.

"Calm down, my love, please. You can hurt yourself." He held her with one hand and arranged the pillows on her bed to support her higher with the other.

"Our baby's right over there," he told her and pointed to a cribbed-shaped box that stood by the end of her bed. Marlene seemed to relax. Scott saw silent questions in her eyes.

"He has to be inside there for now because he came before time." Her eyes grew wider. "But... but he seems to be okay," he added quickly, although his tone failed to conceal his doubts.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I'm waiting for Dr. Lang's explanation."

"Can I hold him for a little?" Marlene's eyes were fixed on the distant crib.

"Uh..."

"Please!"

He looked down, thinking of how to prepare her. "Marlene, our baby is not as we had imagined..."

"What's wrong, Scott?"

He opened the incubator's transparent cover and carefully took the baby out of it. Marlene was awestruck. He came closer.

"This is our son." He sighed, worried and presented her with a pale, iridescent egg.

▬▬▬▬

"Can you believe this?" yelped Admiral Lisa Hayes Hunter while she handed her husband the latest issue of Mars Base's Enquirer. Rick took the cyber-journal in question and read from it.

"Admiral's Love Affair Forces Medical Section Closed." He hadn't recovered from the bluntness of such a title when his eyes reached the piece's header. "Famed singer-actress Lyn Minmei and Head of RDF Council spotted together in out-of-limits wing of Moon Base."

Half way through the infamous article, Rick exploded. "What shameless lies! I'm gonna sue their asses!" He tossed away the offending object, knowing that if he had continued reading, he wouldn't have been able to contain his anger. Through his irate episode, Lisa was quiet, too quiet.

"Lisa?" She sighed. An absurd doubt crossed his mind. "You can't possibly believe that Minmei and I... not now... not ever..."

"Of course not, darling. I trust you, you know it." It was highly unlikely that Lisa would be jealous of Minmei after all these years, yet he was relieved to hear her state her confidence. "But we'll be forced to give an official statement soon. We can't let the rumor-mill to continue like this," she added.

Rick glared at the journal on his desk. "As soon as the security chief reports new findings, we'll call for a press conference."

Lisa's sight followed her husband's. Emerald green twinkled. "Then we'll sue their asses." _Or whatever is left of them._

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Marlene cradled the baby in her arms. The egg's luminous surface had instantly reacted to her touch, warming up slightly, relaxing. It was as if the baby knew he was safe. She examined the shell attentively, surprised that it wasn't bluish-green. Oddly, this egg was pale orange surrounded by irregular twirls of pink. It possessed a thick but transparent outer layer, glossy like enamel. It was soft, receding slightly under pressure, but at the same time resistant, definitely meant to avoid damage to the baby in case of a fall. Unfortunately, she thought, underneath it's protective coating, the cocoon lacked the fluid transparency typical of Invid eggs. A ghostly screen prevented her from seeing what her baby really looked like

Being outside from her body, she couldn't protect her son like before. He was a separate entity now, completely. She felt a void and it scared her. An intimate link had been broken between them.

Scott observed. The situation was so distant from what he could have ever foreseen as his first moments with his child. From the moment Marlene told him that they would have a son, he had been truly happy. However, right after the initial glee faded, worries spattered his contentedness.

At that moment, the egg looked out of place in Marlene's arms. She looked perfectly human, but the alien oval shape that she had given birth to reminded him of her true origin. For a brief moment, the hint of subconscious rejection traversed Scott's heart.

For many months stationed on Mars, he had mulled over his feelings for her. Much before he finally got his ticket back to earth, he had seen it clearly. Invid or human, it didn't matter. He loved her. Now he would love their son; no, he loved him already. He wouldn't backtrack now.

Marlene had been watching him silently. When his gaze met hers, he uncovered fear. _Will you love him, Scott?_ Her eyes seemed to ask. Immediately guilt struck him.

He dreaded that she could have perceived his doubts. _I love him! I love you both!_ By instinct, he reached out to touch the baby. Marlene gently guided his hand. The mother hummed an ancestral lullaby, embedded into her subconscious along with her collective Invid memory. _Everything will be all right._

Dr. Lang entered the room. With a cough and a tinge of guilt, he broke the family moment. Urgent things waited.

▬▬▬▬

After checking mother and baby, Lang confirmed they were both doing all right. He also noticed some changes the egg had gone through. It was now less solid, slightly bigger and heavier.

The doctor appraised the parents anxious faces. "I know you both must have many questions. I varn you that I may not have ansvers to all of them. I kan only offer my best guess until more tests are konducted on your son."

The obvious inqury didn't take long to be worded.

"Why the egg?" Scott asked. "I... I mean, I know Invid have cocoons," he held Marlene's hand, "not that it bothers me in any way..." She smiled reassuringly. He hadn't offended her. "But it didn't show on any scan you showed us... and you certainly never mentioned it."

"It disconcerts me too, Scott. Und yes, nothing like it appeared in any previous test. De shell must have formed just before ve operated. A protektive mechanism triggered by the proximity of birth eez vhat it seems right now."

"When will it hatch?" ventured the mother.

"I kan't tell vith certainty but it shouldn't be much longer."

"Oh," the parents replied together.

"Now ve must talk about vhat really happened at de lab during Marlene's last skan." His remark immediately gained him back the attention of the young couple.

He talked about the Karbarran feeling for the Invid in general and Moon Base's guest, Marlene, in particular. He went on to mention the factors that contributed to force Karbarran experts into his team. Lang sighed, bracing himself for Scott's reaction to what had to come next: the foiled attempt on Marlene and her baby's lives. That did it. If it wasn't because Marlene had clutched Scott's hand firmly as soon as Lang finished recounting Kralea Drrak's actions, Scott would have stormed out of the room, searching for revenge. That alien was doomed.

"What's been done about this?" the father asked enraged.

"Both admirals Hunter vere summoned und issued urgent orders to seal off de entire medical wing for Marlene's and de baby's safety. I just had a meeting vith Rick und de base's sekurity chief. A thorough search eez going on. So far, it ezz known that de Karbarran hasn't left de moon."

"Bastard!" _I just need a minute with him... _"Where can I find the security chief?" Scott's vengeful thoughts gave Marlene the chills.

"Let sekurity handle this, Scott. They vill flush Drrak from wherever he ezz hiding. You better focus on protekting your family." Scott reluctantly calmed down. "Arrangements vere made for you to stay vith them tonight."

At the sight of Marlene's scared eyes, Scott surrendered. "All right, doctor. I'll let them handle this... for now."

▬▬▬▬

Moira was not under suspicion. She was Garudan. Her race and the Karbarran people never had close alliances. Not openly, at least. The innocent and shocked act she put on when security interrogated her granted her freedom. She kept her access to Lang's lab, just as usual. As well, her seniority with the human scientist's staff gave her access to the chemical storage room. The human trusted her. _How convenient._ She grinned as he door snapped shut behind her.

She skillfully mixed chemical compounds. Liquid and powder came together in exact proportions and temperatures. _Ready_. Her hard work and knowledge produced exactly what she wanted. She allowed herself a moment to imagine how Baraka would reward her.

Her home planet's air was poisonous to human and Invid just like earth's atmosphere was poisonous to her people. _Poetic justice._ Garudans were condemned to use masks to provide them with replicas of their home planet's air while abroad. The gadget was accepted; it was necessary and in this particular case, it'd be more than useful.

▬▬▬▬

While Marlene and the baby rested in one room, Scott lay in the adjacent chamber, awake. He had checked up on her several times and finally found her asleep. He was angry and had foreseen that he would spend the night thinking of revenge. Drrak would pay. He let himself examine various methods of torture; frustration, at not being able to take action to find the son of a bitch, was eating at him. After a while he started analyzing the situation a little deeper.

A sudden pressure on the bridge of his nose reminded him of the growing tension within the Council's walls. The Hunters and Lang seemed to be doing all they could to protect Marlene and the baby, but for how long? The situation could spin out of control at any minute given the unrest the Karbarran delegates were seeding.

Their hatred for the Invid had sent one of them on a murderous quest. They opposed any form of peace or integration between themselves -or their allies- and their old Opterran foes. Somehow, no matter how long it took, they wanted revenge from the Invid. The conquest of their planet, forced servitude of their people, torture, imprisonment of their children had all contributed to their resentfulness. In fact, the Invid had been ruthless, not only with the Karbarrans, but with all the sentinel races. But they also had saved earth. Strangely, a faint mossy smell reached the Captain's nose.

All wars had victims; without forgiveness, durable peace was impossible.

Scott realized his son stood on the way of the Karbarran's plan to engage in another war with the Invid. He was a symbol of integration. Invid and human could come together... He yawned. Who knows, the baby could be the key to swing the Regiss will into signing a peace treaty.

The father understood the Karbarrans would do anything to destroy... his baby.

Despite his earlier energetic state, Scott felt very tired suddenly. His body was rapidly ceasing to respond to his wishes. He had been completely alert a few minutes ago; ready to jump of that bed at the smallest sign of trouble. Inexplicably he had a lot of trouble concentrating now, worse, moving. His eyelids were falling.

Between blinks, he distinguished sneaking shadows. Who's there! He forced his eyes open in the dimly illuminated room. There they were again. Maybe he was just imagining feline, agile forms entering Marlene's room.

Then he heard the sound of shattering glass. _The cribb!_ He couldn't move. _That smell! _He'd been drugged.

He collected all his strength and managed to rise from the bed. He walked heavily towards the adjacent room and pulled out his Gallant. He saw Marlene was unconscious; glass shards were covering the floor around the crib; the egg's bright light was nowhere in sight. His son was gone.

The shock brought some of his senses back. He managed to see fleeing shadows on a corner and he attacked one. They struggled. He pressed the weight of his finger on the trigger and he fired. A booming sound filled the room; he fell unconscious.

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For related fan art, visit my website.


	10. Awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 10  
_Awakening_**

▬▬▬▬

_Boom, boom... boom, boom... boom, boom..._

It had grown used to the calming pattern throbbing within it. Lulled by a regular rhythm, its feeble brain had drifted into vestigial latency.

The child was safe now, within his parents' sheltering touch. Perhaps his guardian was always meant to disappear completely; to fade into nothingness once the baby reached maturity.

Yet, it would not be.

Disrupting its quietude, the egg felt gravity pulling it backwards; someone had snatched it from the crib. Then, came smothering pressure; its captor held on so very tightly. Violent up and down shaking followed, with each running stride taken. All sounds were muffled in the distance. All was still at last. The egg didn't know where it was or who had taken it, them.

Inside, the scared baby called for his mother, but she didn't answer. She couldn't. The tiny heart's pulses became frenetic, demanding its protector to awake. _Boboom, boboom, boboom._ Each cell in the cocoon responded by releasing minute energy bolts. The charges merged into a shock wave that engulfed the egg's inner layer and reached outwards.

Obeying its primal directive to protect, the guardian began to morph, to solidify.

▬▬▬▬

Scott's ill-fated shot triggered the lab's alarm and prompted security to the scene immediately. The poisonous compound dropped into the ventilation system was found, countered and its victims, treated.

Slowly, Marlene recovered consciousness. Slowly, maniac desperation struck her.

"I can't feel him! Where is he? My baby!"

No audible reply came, but on the worried faces around her, Marlene perceived more than she needed; dread rattled her. She tried to get up, but rapidly a nurse approached and held her down. The Invid fought and caught a glimpse of her son's shattered crib. She cried hysterically while her mind raced, seeking her baby out.

"Calm down, Miss. You must stop moving!" the nurse demanded while unnatural strength began to overcome her. The woman could have sworn Marlene was glowing. Two additional nurses had to join her efforts to hold the Invid down.

_Where are you, sweetie? _Her thoughts alone echoed inside her mind. _Please tell me! _There was no answer.

"My baby!" the Invid cried.

▬▬▬▬

The father woke up to screams. Dizzily, he sat up and looked at the scene. "She needs me now," he told a nurse, halting her attempt to stop him. Feeling compassion, she moved out of his way.

Marlene broke into tears when she saw him, giving up her fight with the nurses. The hands holding her down released her to Scott's embrace.

"I'm so sorry," he told her, hearing her pained sobs.

"It is not your fault."

"We'll find him and those who did this!" _Bastards!_

She buried her face in his chest vehemently. "I can't hear him anymore, Scott... Our baby could be..." She trembled.

"He could be what, Marlene?" He tensed.

"Dead." Warm streams and aching cries erupted anew.

"No. No..." The father shook his head; his sanity leaving him. "He's all right! He has to be!" No harm could have come to his son. "I'll find him! I promise, I will!"

Marlene continued shedding tears. Through them, Scott saw her eyes hardening; an alien hue descended upon her gentle irises. He tried to reach for her mind, to comfort her, but something had broken between them. The electrical tingle of their mental proximity had disappeared.

Sadness.

Could their baby have been binding them together, letting them share their deepest thoughts? Could he have been a bridge midway between Invid and human psyches?

The connection was gone, as was their child. Could he have really died?

Sorrow turned into anger.

▬▬▬▬

Santa Fe's population had grown, if slowly. A lean flow of arrivals strengthened the little town's roster each month. The tranquility of the ocean-laden ruins and its natural beauty took care of making most foreigners stay. Some came alone, some came with a family, some were friendly, some rather kept to themselves. All had something in common, though, they were survivors.

Lancer and Sera walked through the town's main street. More and more buildings were starting to be cleaned and fixed; some even were being transformed into small stores.

If humans had a remarkable quality, Sera thought it was their cunningness. They never ceased to want to rebuild their lives, no matter the magnitude of damage brought by intergalactic war.

Lancer had suggested they took the walk, thinking that some fresh air would help his wife relax. She had been jumpy ever since that night when she woke up screaming and told him something terrible had happened to Marlene. After that, things calmed a little, but he could see Sera was getting anxious again.

In fact, the Invid princess was nervous. At random times, she thought she'd heard Marlene calling her name, but it couldn't be. Her nerves and worries were playing tricks on her. She wouldn't tell Lancer, but she couldn't escape feeling something had gone wrong and the worst part was not being able to contact Marlene; she was too far. If only Scott would call them and appease their minds! She'd been trying to reach her sister and nephew daily and she'd try again as soon as she got back to Rook and Rand's home.

Santa Fe's charm had subdued her newly-wed friends. It was certain that they planned on staying and Rand mentioned that perhaps they would even start a family. Rook blushed but didn't voice any opposition. Sera and Lancer understood; they were falling victims of the town's peaceful surroundings as well. Maybe they could settle in too.

Anonymity, good friends, natural beauty everywhere they looked. What else could they want from a place to live? Sera's sight wandered. _A park._ She saw children jumping and laughing. Her imagination leaped across time. She pictured her and Lancer's child running, mingling with those young humans. Happily, peacefully, her little girl smiled.

Then, without warning, the Invid's legs stopped holding her; she saw the horizon tilting around her and the ground approaching fast. She would have hit it face-first if it wasn't for Lancer.

"Sera!" he let out after he caught her. "Are you all right?" Tears sparkled in her eyes. Marlene's desperate cry had reached her sister. Sera looked at her husband emptily, unable to articulate. He noticed that curious looks were starting to set upon them.

"Darling, I told you not to eat that," he lied aloud for everyone to hear, then he added quietly: "Is it Marlene?" Affirmative but choked sobs came out of her.

"Do you need any help there?" asked an old woman from a shop. Lancer looked at Sera, her eyes told him _better not._

"No, thank you. We aren't far away from home." The woman nodded. Lancer gently helped Sera up.

When he was sure their conversation wouldn't fall into a stranger's ear, he insisted. "What happened to Marlene, Sera?"

"I... I'm not sure. She was screaming."

"Why?"

"It was so loud, I couldn't understand her. I got bits and pieces and terrible feelings, Lancer." The Invid princess looked deep into her husband's eyes. "She kept repeating: Dead! Killed! My baby!"

"The baby? Are you sure?"

She closed her eyes. "I don't know!"

"It can't be! Who would do such a despicable thing as killing an innocent baby?" Lancer tried to regain his cool and took a deep breath. "Let's try to calm down here. They are far away and... and there could be other explanations for this. Maybe the baby had to be isolated or perhaps he's just asleep..."

"But Marlene's cries..."

"We must find out more, before we worry like this, my love." He searched her eyes. "Right?" She nodded softly but doubtfully. They headed back to tell the others.

▬▬▬▬

Scott walked through busy hallways. A frown covered his forehead and his fists were clasped tight. What had he gotten his family into? They were supposed to be safe here and cared for by experts. Instead, mother and baby had been captives; she had been tortured at the hands of supposed friends -or their staff to be precise- and his baby; he had been cruelly snatched away from them.

Marlene's words echoed inside Scott head inclemently. _Dead. Their son, killed!_ Once and again she had tried to contact him telepathically; each failure making the prospect of his death more certain.

Scott feared. Not only for his son, but for her as well. He had watched her driving herself to the limit. She was so weak and so alone. If only she could count on others like her to help, to pool with in her mental search.

He shouldn't have believed Lang when he told him they could handle things. He shouldn't have trusted. Now more than ever, he needed those he could really trust, his friends.

▬▬▬▬

"They did nothing to deserve this," said Lisa lowly. "It is just one bad thing after another."

"We are doing all we can," replied Rick.

"I know." She sighed with frustration and despair. "I just wonder how much more they must go through? How long until we find their baby's murdered body?"

"Don't give up hope, Lisa. Not yet," offered Rick placing his hands on her shoulders.

"It kills me that we don't have any concrete proof against Lraon! It is so unfair, Rick." she added.

"If he's behind this, he'll pay!"

All of a sudden, a low synthetic beep called for Rick and Lisa's attention. The Admiral's aide announced that Dr. Lang and the base's security chief had arrived.

The situation had gone from bad to worse with Marlene's baby's kidnapping. As the head of the RDF Council, Rick had summoned Admiral Hayes Hunter, Dr. Lang and the security chief into his office urgently. Gloomily, the humans heard the chief's report. He was apologetic when he told them that no positive signs of the missing Karbarran had surfaced. And to aggravate things, there wasn't any trace of the baby or his captors. They discovered one thing though, Moira Blune, a member of Lang's staff, had accessed the chemical storage room last and had disappeared since then.

Rick was irked. _Does this base have a hidden black hole where all suspects just jump into? _

He dismissed the chief, but not before demanding to get him answers. At this point, the Admiral had put himself on the line. He had signed an order allowing security to search for a suspected criminal within the base's diplomatic quarter. And nothing had turned up.

Ambassador Lraon didn't waste this opportunity. He rallied resentful alien delegates to ask for Hunter's head.

If things weren't bad already, the baby's parents were understandably upset. The deal Lisa had brokered to protect them from xenophobic hatred hadn't earned them a much better chance on the satellite than the one they already had on earth. Their son was missing or worse; dead according to Marlene's words.

_What now? _Was the question on the minds of the three humans inside the room.

"How are Marlene and Scott holding up, Emil?" inquired Lisa. "Have you talked to them?"

"Not vell, understandably..." The doctor was about to elaborate, when Rick's aide called in.

"Yes, Phillip?" he answered.

"Admiral, Captain Bernard is here. He... _insists_ on talking to you, sir." Rick took a moment to reply, he knew what was coming.

"Let him in."

"Yes, Sir."

▬▬▬▬

For related fan art, visit my website.


	11. Confrontation

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 11**

_**Confrontation**_

▬▬▬▬

His body was tense, ready. With a cold glare in his eyes, Scott stepped into Hunter's office. He didn't expect Admiral Hayes Hunter and Dr. Lang's presence there, but it didn't matter. Scott's mind was set. He would find his son, no matter what he had to do.

After the salutes were done, silence reigned.Rick and Lisa stared at the irate officer._ What do you tell a father whose newborn son has gone missing under your command?_

"Scott, I'm very sorry for what has happened," ventured Lisa lastly.

"We are doing all we can to locate your son, captain," added Rick quickly.

Scott swallowed anger. His jaw grew tighter. Before he entered the room, he could have predicted every apologetic word that he would be told. "_Sorry" wont help my son. _He thought bitterly.

Rick noticed growing tension on the young man's face. "At ease, Scott," he told him. The captain tried hard and succeeded at regaining some of his self-control momentarily. _They are not the enemy. _He reminded himself.

"I understand the situation is hard for you and Marlene." Rick started slowly. "It was never our intention for this to happen. On the contrary," he looked at his wife, "all that we wanted was to provide you, Marlene and your child with a safe place away from earth."

"Well, it didn't work, did it?" Scott couldn't contain his sarcasm.

"Unfortunately, groups with ill-feelings for the Invid seem to be strong on the moon as vell," put in Dr. Lang.

"Don't be so vague, doctor!" An angry tempest was breaking loose on Scott again. "Not "some groups", the ones who did this have a name: Karbarrans!"

"We don't have proof, captain," said Rick serious. "The Council can't act without solid evidence."

"What more evidence you want? My son has been taken away! Are you going to wait that he's dead to do something!" Hot pumping blood rendered Scott's entire face crimson with rage. "What kind of admiral are you?"

"Mind your words, Bernard!"

"You must kalm..." started to intervene Dr. Lang with concern.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" An edgy Scott cut the old scientist off. "It's my son, damn it!" Then looking to both Rick and Lisa. "Would you be calm if it was your son missing? Accusation drove his tone. "A defenseless baby at the mercy of who knows what kind of deranged criminal?"

Rick and Lisa where at a loss.

"Scott, sekurity eez skouring the base, they vill find your son. It eez just a matter of giving them some more time."

"Security?" Bernard snorted. "Were were they when that bastard Karbarran tried to kill Marlene?" He shot back at his godfather and faced Rick and Lisa. "Where were they when my son was taken? Where!" His mouth twisted into a scornful smile. "Sorry admirals, doctor, your security forces are pathetic! Don't expect me to sit on my ass down here a minute longer and wait for that useless party to find my son!" Immediately, he turned to storm out of Rick's office.

"Captain!" called Lisa upset. He didn't stop.

"You can't take things in your own hands, this is not the old wild west, Bernard! Don't do something you'll regret!" warned Rick.

The father froze. "I already regret what I've done." Scott turned, his blue eyes reproaching Lisa, before resuming his exit.

"Stop right there, young man!" Lisa yelled. "It's an order!" Rick looked at his wife and saw what was on her mind. Anger couldn't cloak the guilt she felt from his eyes

Scott bit his lip, a battle ragging inside him. "Admiral?" The soldier had won. He faced her once more.

Lisa Hayes looked at her husband. Her green eyes asking for support. _Rick you must be with me on this one. _And he was.

"All right, Bernard. What do you need to find your son?" Rick inquired lastly.

▬▬▬▬

Marlene was on her feet, pacing in her room, restless. She was grateful that the nurses had left her alone at last. Her reddened eyes showed she had been crying. Despite this, her mind was focused.

_Where? Where are you?_

Silence.

Still, she was desperately trying to find her son telepathically, still, she hadn't found anything. Sobs pushed and collected on the back of her throat.

_Oh, Scott. Come back soon._

She had promised she would wait for him before attempting to use any of her less discreet Invid abilities. He had been gone for what seemed an eternity by now. _My Invid abilities, _she mused with sadness.

Since her baby was taken out from her, things had changed inside Marlene: her confidence crippled, her feelings forlorn. Their energies had been intertwined, feeding and strengthening each other. But he was gone now and with him, Marlene's mental bond with his father.

In the lab, when her eyes caught sight of his shattered crib, she lost it. She fought against the nurses who held her down. Out of desperation, she tried to transfigure into energy and escape their firm grip, but she was not able. Then, she attributed it to the shock and the pain, but now, the Invid wasn't sure anymore. _Some purpose you serve! _She loathed her heritage.

_I couldn't protect you, my baby. _The tears welled again. _Am I just a helpless Invid in a human shell? _She felt a mother's rage building insider her.

Vengeful feelings washed over the once peace-loving Invid. Marlene's thoughts wandered and set on the Invid Regiss and her long and violent struggle to protect her offspring. _How much I understand you now, mother,_ Marlene realized.If those Karbarrans were anywhere next to her now...

_This isn't the way. _The Invid shook her head and along it, those dark thoughts.

Suddenly, the door of her room hissed open. Scott walked to her and hugged her tightly. Through moments of pain, their human bond had strengthened more than ever. After a while of letting each other find comfort in their closeness, she peeked into his eyes. In his tired blue irises she discovered a gleam of hope. It comforted her.

"Still nothing?" he asked unaware.

She sighed. "No."

He expected that much, yet his head hung low. He couldn't hide his pain. "Help's on the way," he told her.

▬▬▬▬

The shuttle's hull rose open to expose Moon Base's bustling docking bay. Sera saw civilian and military personnel going around minding their tasks. Mingling together were Praxians, Humans, Garudans and Karbarrans. She felt a chill.

After Scott's call -he'd probably done a lot of maneuvering to find them-, it had been hard for Sera and Lancer to push aside their reborn dreams of a peaceful life and leave Santa Fe's safe haven behind. Rook's, Rand's, Annie's and Lunk's concerned faces hadn't helped either, but the couple couldn't deny their aid to the distraught parents. They owed Marlene. If it wasn't for her, Lancer and his wife would have never been reunited.

The princess hoped that just like the Invid prisoners at New Liberty had once reached the Invid Queen-Mother with a joint mental effort, maybe together, her sister and her would be able to find the former's missing baby.

Lancer held Sera's hand to help her down from the ship's high exit. Below, a lone soldier waited and when they touched ground, he saluted. The couple had been provided with military uniforms aboard the shuttle and politely requested to change into them prior to docking.

Captain Bernard had taken care of clearing the way for his guests, limiting their welcome committee to the minimum. Nothing that could draw attention to the newly arrived visitors was near, not even himself. Bernard's involvement with an Invid female wasn't a secret anymore, at least not for whomever had taken the hybrid baby away.

The infantryman led the way through Moon Base's long corridors. "Lieutenant" Belmont discreetly held his wife's cold hand for a brief moment. Scott had assured him Sera would be safe, still, with all that the singer had learned about Marlene's ordeals, he couldn't help being nervous.

At last, their escort stopped in front of a guarded door. The soldiers flanking the entrance saluted and stepped out of the way. The seemingly random stripes and bars embedded in her courtesy attire started to make sense to Sera.

Inside, a reunion waited. _At last. _She could already feel her sister.

▬▬▬▬

Baraka enjoyed the sight. Finally, he had extracted from the gullible doctor the prize he had longed for. The alien watched blissfully how a pair robotic arms placed the Invid's egg to be fully scanned.

He had reserved the pleasure of the first pulse to himself. Mercilessly, his paw proceeded. The rays shimmered in his yellow eyes. Baraka grinned.

▬▬▬▬

For related fan art, visit my website.


	12. Revenge

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 12**

_**Revenge**_

▬▬▬▬

The Karbarran scientist attentively watched over the scan results. Its immobile prey waited between metallic limbs. Baraka's will was set on discovering all its secrets. He could already taste the triumph of analyzing the heinous being piece by piece, and why not, savor the joy of breaking it apart slowly.

After all these years, Baraka could only feel hate. But he wasn't blinded by it; cold scientific detachment reigned on him.

It hadn't always been like that. There was a time when he had actually felt carefree happiness and hope. Painful as it was, Baraka still remembered the warmth of his wife next to him, the playful giggling of his own little cub, one peaceful day after another in his native Karbarra. That had been then, before the Invid.

In this moment, Baraka felt the strong pull of that deep old feeling. He couldn't hear a sound around him. He couldn't see anything except the oval-shaped Invid spawn behind a protective window. He couldn't feel a thing but his simmering desire for revenge.

But in fact, Baraka had stopped Lraon from destroying the pregnant Invid when news of her existence first reached them. He cited scientific research; valuable discoveries that would benefit whomever got to the Invid first. The evolutionary path followed by the Invid had given them powers beyond other known races, powers that everyone feared.

A mind like Lraon's didn't comprehend this. Lang on the other hand, understood. The human wanted all that knowledge for his race, already unfairly favored within the Council. Things would change now.

▬▬▬▬

The sad reunion's hellos were short. Lancer expressed his sorrow for his friends' situation and his wife hugged her distraught sister. Scott and Marlene were grateful for their friends' willingness to place themselves at risk in order to help them.

"That's what friends are for," commented Lancer simply, looking at the parents intently. "You two would do the same for Sera and me."

"Thank you, Lancer," said the teary mother. Scott concurred with a silent but firm nod.

After a moment, it was time for the captain to brief everyone on the status of the search. Following his conversation with admirals Hunter and Hayes Hunter, Scott was granted access to the resources he needed in his quest. Discreetly getting Invid princess Sera and Lancer shuttled up to the moon was the first step.

So far, the search parties had been unsuccessful. A confined place like a base -on a moon with no atmosphere- should only have a few places for a suspect to hide. Yet, contrarily to the obvious, security forces hadn't found a single solid clue that would lead them toward the missing baby's whereabouts.

Garudan Moira Blune remained the only link. The discovery of her involvement in the kidnap and murder plot had angered Scott even further against his godfather, Lang. He had trusted him while the scientist kept a criminal among his staff; roaming freely next to Marlene and his defenseless son. Traces of her DNA had now been found inside the chemical storage room, particularly on the bins for products that matched the poisonous compound found in the lab's ventilation system. The Garudan's quarters were under surveillance, but she didn't come back yet – even for a change of clothes.

Marlene's lonely efforts hadn't earned her any response from her baby. Scott could only hope that with Sera's help, some useful information would finally surface.

Without many preambles, Scott told Lancer to follow him, nodded his gratitude toward Sera and kissed Marlene goodbye on the forehead.

"If anything happens, contact us," he told the sisters, handing Marlene a tiny communication device. Then, both men left.

Strengthened by each other's presence, the sisters sat face to face and began to search together.

▬▬▬▬

Scott brought Lancer to meet Rick Hunter and the base's security chief. The latter gave a brief update and then it was the admiral's turn to speak. Among other things, Bernard was to assume control of the security search party. Chief Zaeten Cinkoda had the pride of a Perytonian and didn't welcome the idea with enthusiasm. Regardless, a word of warning from the Council's disappointed headman removed any apparent opposition from the chief's face.

Announced by Rick's aide, Dr. Emil Lang and Lisa Hayes Hunter entered the room and quietly approached the pensive group. Scott saluted the admiral and coldly nodded at the doctor. Lancer just nodded, receiving a strange look from the admiral. _Obviously, she is expecting a different behavior form a "Lieutenant,"_ Lancer thought eyeing his borrowed military drab.

With everyone present and authority issues settled, the group proceeded to analyze moon base's design blueprints. A huge and very detailed 3D holographic projection glowed in the middle of the room. Under the chief's direction, the protector started to mark the ground that the chief's search parties had already covered.

"The information is updated in real time. Each party search member transmits a position to the computer," informed Cinkoda.

"Wow," let out Lancer seeing how easily the structure rotated, displaying various levels and changing colors after holographic troops swept through it.

"Were you expecting paper charts and markers, lieutenant?" asked Lisa.

"Uh..."

To Scott's despair, 75 per cent of the glowing structure had turned red. 7_5 per cent and still nothing!_

▬▬▬▬

Inside the hidden, soundproof lab, the Karbarran scientist continued trying to pry through its victim's protective shell. Gently but obsessively, Baraka tried pulse after pulse to pierce through the egg's outer layer.

"Reading?" Baraka demanded behind a console.

"Nothing, sir," informed a technician.

A pulse again and then another, imperceptibly burning the egg's exterior, cell by cell. Inside, the baby was calm; completely isolated from the world and its protector's pain. The shell absorbed or reflected Baraka's attempts, without understanding what was attacking it. The confusion in its simple brain didn't matter; its sole mission was to protect.

"Enough now," said Baraka. His probe had to be conducted carefully; _the being must not be destroyed... yet._

"Inverse polarity and scan again," he commanded. "Reading?"

"Scan is clear, sir."

_Come on! _Baraka heaved. He was starting to get frustrated.

"Systems are starting to overload, sir," informed Moira Blune, from her newly earned station at Baraka's lab. The Garudan didn't know if he had heard her, as he halted none of his actions.

"One more time!" Baraka voiced his intent and took control of the scanner personally.

"We got a data stream on console D, sir!" yelled a technician.

"Yes!"The alien's eyes shimmered with anticipation as the shell turned black. _I am so close! _

"Systems A to D have reached critical condition, sir!" informed Moira suddenly. Immediately, red lights started flickering on the lab's control panel and a muffled alarm buzzed off. "You must stop!" she yelled at Baraka. He didn't move.

The Karbarran assassin looked at Moira. "Stop him! Or he's going to blow all of us to pieces!" she pleaded.

Hesitantly, the assassin approached his master. Before he could even attempt to stop him, Baraka halted the scan and turned his eyes on him.

"Don't you dare touch me!" he roared.

"Sir, the alarms..." he countered with fear.

"Do you think I'm gonna kill us all?"

"Sir..."

"Do you think that after all this effort I would be so reckless?" Baraka saw the fear in the assassin's eyes. "No, of course not," the scientist laughed, "you're just scared of death!" His smile twisted. "Too many souls waiting for you on the other side, perhaps? Pathetic coward... No one's blowing into pieces tonight!" He turned toward his staff. "Turn those damned alarms off! And reinitialize the systems now!" he shouted. "And you..." he faced the assassin, " Get away form me."

The hatchet man faded into the shadows.

▬▬▬▬

Abruptly, the burning sensation disappeared. The sudden halt deepened the protector's confusion. Seconds passed and it relaxed; then, like a faint gust toying with a feather, it heard a calling.

▬▬▬▬

_What is it?_ Sera asked her sister.

_I don't know. But it is scared and wounded. And it is hiding something... _

_Is it... is it the baby? _

_I'm not sure..._ The women approached mentally and instinctively the being retreated. _We don't want to hurt you... _

Something about them made it trust them,something made it feel safe, something it had felt before...

_Who are you? _Sera asked.The being didn't answer but the sisters felt its confused thoughts.

_What are you hiding?_ Marlene asked gently, and the being decided to show her: a baby, sleeping.

Far away, in a distant room at moon base the mother gasped. "My baby! He's alive!"

"At last!" Sera was drained and ecstatic. "But... what or who is that?"

"I don't know. But he knows where my baby is!"

Still surprised by the strange being's presence the sisters were able to feel the baby's life-force.

_I want to protect the baby, _Marlene explained to the being._ I need to know where you are, _she asked, but it didn't answer. Again, the mother sensed just confused thoughts.

"Maybe it doesn't know, sister," offered Sera.

Marlene rephrased. _Can you show me what is around you? _The protector revealed images of what the Invid recognized as a lab. Equipment, tables and behind a large concave window, a group of aliens. The gleaming yellow eyes of a Karbarran stood out. Fear shot across Marlene and Sera. What they saw could only mean harm was coming to the baby.

Desperate now, the sisters tried to pin down its location. However, suddenly, all communication broke off, as if the being and the baby had been sucked into a black hole. Nothing remained.

▬▬▬▬

Baraka's probe resumed all at once, taking the distracted protector by surprise. Its inside shook frightening the baby. The unexpected pain angered the being. Alert now, the dark shell continued to absorb all energy that came its way.

"Reading!" the scientist bellowed from the main lab's console.

"Nothing, sir," one of his staff answered.

Irate now, the scientist continued.

"The energy levels around that egg are increasing," informed Moira Blune.

From a dark corner, Baraka's assassin observed him. Despite his master's menacing reassurance that no one would die that night, the Karbarran felt uneasy. He noticed the growing nervousness among the lab's staff while his sight wandered. Half hidden behind her chair, Moira Blune caught his attention. She was using a tiny communication device.

Behind the protective window, the hybrid egg remained sealed, its dark surface radiating an eerie glow.

▬▬▬▬

For related fan art, visit my website.


	13. Council

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 13**

_**Council**_

▬▬▬▬

"Lraon must have orchestrated this!" let out Lisa Hayes Hunter after reading the summoning letter issued for her husband's presence at the Council's chamber.

"No doubt," agreed Rick, feeling a headache gathering under his temples "He already stirred the delegates with his misgivings about the _threat_ of Marlene and her hybrid baby. And he wasted no time to rally them against me on what he called an _illegal and unwarranted_ search of diplomatic premises."

"It's ridiculous! Marlene is not capable of hurting anyone and her baby even less so."

"I know, darling. But Lraon has instilled fear in the minds of the Council's members. Some are talking about eliminating the mother and her baby... when he's found." _If he's found, _he thought as the fruitless search cast doubts on this.

"Eliminating?" she gasped. "There is absolutely no way we are going to allow such a thing to happen!"

"Yes, it is unimaginable. However, judging by the involvement of a Garudan in the kidnapping, Lraon's words must have been heard."

"He has to be stopped!" she said enraged.

"Don't get upset, Lisa." He reached out for her.

"Over my dead body they'll get a change to hurt them!" she insisted.

"The situation has to be handled carefully, my love, we need to be calm." She agreed and gave him a silent nod as he held her hand. They stood silent for a few seconds.

"I must meet Emil before this circus gets started," he spoke.

"Can I come with you?"

"Of course."

▬▬▬▬

During the time they had tapped into the being's mind, Sera and Marlene were able to get a general sense of its location. Had the contact lasted a while longer, the Invid would have been able to pin-point an exact place.

The sudden and complete silence sank the sisters into an abyss of anguish. The being was their only link to the missing child. In vain they searched, in vain they tried to reconnect. At last, drained, Marlene and Sera called Scott and Lancer. They met and shared what they had discovered while the physical search continued, full-blown but unsuccessful, throughout Moon Base.

"Something else with the baby? Something like what?"

"A consciousness... a living beingScott"

"A... _being?_"

"Yes," replied Sera.

"Its mind was simple, but it seemed set on protecting the baby," explained Marlene.

"Are you sure about that?" Skepticism and worries transpired from the father's tone.

"Not completely, the being wasn't able to hold a complex mental link," offered Sera. "But we didn't sense any trace of bad intentions within it."

"A being... with a simple mind..." Scott couldn't wrap his mind around what the sisters described as accompanying his baby.

"There's no time to lose, Scott. Marlene and I can take you where we sensed that the being was," asserted Sera.

"You have a location?"

"Not an _exact_ location, but a range. If we get close enough, maybe we'll see something or perhaps we'll be able contact it again," the princess said and Marlene nodded. He hesitated, following a false lead will make them waste precious time.

"It may be our only chance, Scott!" said the mother.

"All right, let's get to it." He had to take the risk.

Scott pulled a group from the search forces out from their assigned zone and ordered them to rendezvous with him.

"Lancer, I want you to supervise the search from sectors 5A to B6. I'll go with Marlene and Sera. We'll keep a channel open in case anything happens." Lancer agreed.

Bernard informed his men about the change while three special transports arrived. The sisters and him boarded one. The other two vehicles, loaded with security personnel, took off following the directions the Invid gave them.

"Where could such a being had come from?" inquired Scott as the vehicle rushed through Moon Base.

"We can't really tell, Scott," said Sera. The implications sank into Marlene's mind. She worried about the meaning of it.

▬▬▬▬

The RDF Council's chambers were full. Delegates and assorted media waited to hear how Admiral Rick Hunter would explain his actions in front of the disciplinary commission. The secrecy apropos the handling of the Invid and her offspring was over as the search went full scale.

"Ambassador Lraon Burrek from Karbarra has alerted this Council about actions of yours which he deems irresponsible and hazardous to the Alliance." The room erupted with buzzing and whispering as the disciplinary commission's representative's voice reverberated. "Like with all claims presented to this body, we are giving you the opportunity to defend yourself." Rick nodded. "Ambassador Lraon, you can ask your questions now."

In the third row of seats, directly in front of Rick, Lisa Hayes Hunter sat next to Dr. Emil Lang. Her supporting eyes never left sight of her husband.

▬▬▬▬

"We are getting closer," said Marlene as the vehicle advanced. Sera had taken the lead over her sister at directing the driver as the mother felt increasingly anxious.

Not surprisingly, their quest approached the location of the diplomatic section. Scott worried. That area had already been searched -unsuccessfully, causing a political crisis within the Council as well.

"We can't take the transports any further, sir," informed the driver as they faced a maze of stairs and ramps.

"No way around it?" asked Sera.

"No ma'am, beyond this structure, there's just the base's dome. After that, it's lunar dust," the driver said checking a map displayed in front of her.

_This must be it,_ thought Marlene hopeful.

The group left the transports behind and continued on foot, climbing up several levels. At the top, disappointment waited: domed emptiness, a huge platform used for observation.

At a loss, the parents watched.

"Marlene, are you sure?" asked Scott confused. This couldn't possibly be the right place.

"I... I don't understand..." Marlene sounded desperate.

"Yes, this is it," offered Sera. "The place is right."

Scott scanned the barren surface._ But where?_

▬▬▬▬

"I, like many other in this room would like to know, Admiral, why did you, assisted by others whom I will later name," he eyed Lang and Lisa blatantly, "concealed the fact that an Invid was being brought to Moon Base from this Council? Why did you hide it purposely, knowing that this race is an enemy of our Alliance and that this particular Invid, because of its condition, posed a great danger to all of us?"

"Ambassador, let me be clear. _Marlene_ was brought here as a guest, precisely to protect her and her unborn child from the dangers of Earth. There wasn't any conspiracy of any kind, just measures for discretion. The Council was informed immediately after Dr. Lang assessed the newcomers' condition. As you know, she was carrying a hybrid child and needed special attention. A pregnant woman doesn't pose any danger to anyone. And, may I remind you, the Invid may not be part of this Alliance, but they weren't declared enemies."

"You forget so soon, Admiral. Not that long ago, the Invid Regiss attacked one of your bases on Earth... New Liberty? Was it?" Rick readied himself for a reply but before words left his mouth, Lraon was quick to add, "and that _Marlene_ is not a woman, she's an Invid. Everyone here knows what the Invid are capable of doing." He surveyed the whispering assembly. "Is it that you are biased? Have you been deceived by its apparent fragility and resemblance of a human female?" he emphasised, then continued lowly, "no doubt the child's father was deceived too. Set appearances aside and you'll see how dangerous these things really are." The audience listened attentively. "The Invid had been observed to posses fearsome abilities. This _Marlene_ could as well be a spy for her queen. Who knows what kind of information she extracted from her human lover; she could have already told the Regiss about our weak points using telepathy." The delegates were aghast.

"That is absurd!" yelled Lisa unable to control herself any longer.

"Admiral Hayes Hunter!" he said turning to face her. "I'm glad to see you here although, I haven't reached the point where I tell this Council about your complicity in all this."

"Complicity!" Rick sprung up, irate. "Ambassador Lraon, you're out of line! This isn't a a place where you can shoot unfounded accusations."

"Unfounded you say?" Lraon shot back poisonously. The assembly broke in commotion. Some in support, some against, discrepancies became evident and heated among the delegates.

"I remind you that no violence will be tolerated in this room," said the commission's representative. As havoc broke in the upper rows, someone spoke to Lraon in a hushed tone.

"We will take an hour break," the representative announced while security approached a couple of delegates who seemed to be discussing the matter a little bit too vehemently. Everyone was asked to leave the room.

Ambassador Lraon wouldn't rejoin the meeting after the recess. The diplomat walked briskly out of the Council's Chambers and used an alternate exit to leave the building. News of the developments at Baraka's lab unsettled him. Lraon decided it was time to act and stop the scientist's recklessness. Enough risks had been taken, enough resources had been wasted. It was time to destroy that menace and cover any traces that would link him to it.

▬▬▬▬

_Where are you? Please answer me..._ the mother reached mentally. Nothing. Her sister joined her effort. _Where?_ They asked. Silence... Then a soft, quasi imperceptible vibration...

_Under..._

_Under... under... _Marlene mused, then suddenly, "It must be underground, Scott!" she yelled.

Promptly, the captain had his forces scan the area using depth sensors and discovered a hollow corridor underneath the surface.

"This passage isn't on any map, sir," reported one. "It seems to extend southward, deeper under the base."

"We must gain access to it!" Scott commanded.

"Do you want us to follow it and find an entrance, sir?"

"No time. Call lieutenant Belmont and his units," he ordered, "and get me an explosives expert, now!"

▬▬▬▬

For related fan art, visit my website.


	14. Unraveling

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 14**

_**Unraveling**_

* * *

The amount of security personnel deployed within the diplomatic area required Ambassador Lraon and his escort to move discreetly. 

Forcing an isolated street-level access open, the Karbarran group slipped unnoticed into the base's underground: a maze of dark swirling tunnels. Lraon knew the way very well. He had funded the construction of the facility, studied its tentative blueprints and carefully concealed its existence from the Council.

_The deployment of such a security force contingent can only mean one thing: they are onto the lab's location_, he thought. _Stupid Baraka! Your dangerous game can cost us much. I will finish it, at once! _The diplomat headed briskly toward the place where the scientist was hiding along that _problematic_ hybrid egg.

* * *

With each slow burning blast, the protector grew numb to the pain. It absorbed energy and it swelled like a bubble of black gel. Inside, the baby cried for his mother. His immature fears traveled around his protector like electric current through a wire, prompting it to shield him at all costs. But the being's barrier wouldn't endure much longer.

Incapable of textual thought, the protector sent a faint distress message. Recollections of burning pain and the baby's piercing cries flowed into a plane where Invid psyches could pick them up.

* * *

The platform where Scott's group had found the hidden tunnel was busy like an ant hill. Lancer and his units had arrived and proceeded to seal off the area from civilians. Scott was all over the place, barking orders hastily while security personnel scrambled to carry them out.

"It's solid metal and concrete, sir..." one man informed, looking at the screen of his scanner. Scott turned to the explosives' expert.

"Can we break through?" The expert scratched his head and looked at the crystalline dome above them.

"If we use too much, we could damage it," he said pointing up.

"Can we or not?" Scott's face didn't leave the Tirollian many options. The expert carefully adjusted sensors on his equipment and took a new batch of measurements. After a while he turned to Scott.

"A set of low powered blasts," he said. "And If we use a barrier to contain the shock wave... we can manage to crack an opening without risking the dome."

"Do it."

The mother waited anxiously trying to stay out of the way as explosives and a barrier were being set up. Something told her she was getting closer to her baby, but strangely, every second that passed found her feeling more desperate. She perceived subtle cries in the back of her mind, flashes of anguish from a familiar source...

Sera could sense her sister's emotional state and felt compelled to comfort her. But the pain Marlene was experiencing, the princess couldn't fully understand. She witnessed sadly and silently, examining Marlene's mental anguish in involuntary detachment. It was the pain of a mother; something no Invid - perhaps the Regiss - had ever felt before.

When all was ready and everyone had been hauled away to a safe distance from the hazardous charges, Lancer came to his wife and Scott to Marlene.

"Explosion in 5 seconds..." announced an artificial voice, "4..."

Quietly, Marlene endured the swirl of sensations invading her mind, but the growing intensity of the feeling was starting to overwhelm her. Somehow sensing this, Scott held her. In the blue irises which shot icy cold looks to everyone but her, Marlene found relief. The Invid realized that sometimes, a human mind's inability to sense what other minds around it felt was a blessing. His determination to find their son was blind and strong. If she could shelter her mind there, she would withstand the distressing flow engulfing her. And so she reached out for him.

"3... 2..."

And somewhere in another plane, she felt he held on to her as well. And in a whisper he told her: _all is going to be all right._

"1... "

Concrete and metal blew open.

* * *

A set of guttural booms echoed far and deep through the diplomatic quarter. Without stopping to explain a thing to his perplexed crew, the Ambassador urged them, "move faster!" Following his lead, the posse sped up its stride.A few steps ahead, the lab entrance loomed, concealed behind false panels and thick tubular appendages.

"What was that?" a startled technician let out, as the faint aftershocks of the explosions on Moon Base's surface reached the depths of Baraka's lab.

"Probably a construction crew," calmed her another.

"I need more power!" yelled Baraka, unaware of the developments brewing above.

"The system can't take any more, sir," ventured a scared technician. The angry bear-like creature moved toward the console.

"Out of my way," he grunted. The technician jumped away at once and watched as the maddened head scientist subverted the auxiliary power to complete his probe.

"Just a few more seconds..." he mumbled to no one in particular.

As the lab's main lights started to flicker, alarms erupted in warning beeps.

"The system is going to collapse!" he heard a Garudan warning. Giving in to the unmistakable signs, Baraka turned all power off. The reddish tones of backup lamps surrounded them. In the middle of the room, the egg's surface cooled down like a dying charcoal. On the consoles indicator lights throbbed, tale-telling the thwarted catastrophe or perhaps, foretelling one.

The egg shook in one last agonizing spasm, its shimmer had faded.

"It's done!" Baraka's yellowish eyes were glued on it, coated with foreboding.

* * *

The recess had come and gone. Inside the Council's chambers, impatient delegates waited. Quiet whispering had blossomed and was now frenzied buzzing. Lraon Burrek, Ambassador for Karbarra was nowhere to be found.

The situation had no precedent. No one dare say it up front, but the Karbarran had orchestrated the whole thing and now against logic, had disappeared half way through the questioning process. If Burrek had a shot at nailing Hunter, this had been it. _Where was he?_ most delegates wondered, and among them Hunter himself waited befuddled.

"Admiral Hunter," an aide spoke into his ear all at once, "we have gotten word from captain Bernard."

"What is it?"

"A secret tunnel has been discovered and opened underneath the diplomatic quarter, sir. The captain has requested your urgent authorization to proceed to follow it."

Rick's expression darkened. _A secret tunnel... Lraon gone... _

"Give him my go ahead."

* * *

Security personnel invaded the hidden tunnel, among them, Sera, Lancer, Marlene and Scott. They hadn't gotten far into it when suddenly, the sisters stopped cold, their faces ashen. "I can hear him, Scott! Our baby... I know where he is!" Marlene cried lowly.

"Where?" He was ecstatic.

"This way," she said and ran, leading the group. Both Invid could hear the baby clearly now. He was terrified. The sisters' minds closed on his location while his mother tried to comfort him. The Invid felt danger hanging over the little one. That other consciousness that seemed so protective earlier was fading rapidly, it was dying.

* * *

Lraon entered unannounced. The scene came into full view and spoke for itself. Amidst the chaotic lab, the creature rested between robotic arms: a scorched, fuming black mass, most likely lifeless._ Not much else to do here, after all_, the diplomat thought

"Ambassador... I thought you were... at the Council," babbled Baraka taken by surprise.

"Is it... dead?" was all Lraon said, approaching the observation window.

"No, of course not," replied Baraka.

The Ambassador turned unbelieving. "Destroy it then! At once!" he ordered coldly.

"What? You... you don't understand! The shell is on the brink of cracking, now we can..."

"Destroy it, I said!"

"We can't destroy it now. It is ready to give us the secrets that we seek!"

"Silence, Baraka! The creature will be destroyed, as it should have, all along!"

"No... NO! I wont allow it!"

"I don't need your permission, Baraka." Lraon turned. "You!" he said singling Moira Blune, "Get rid of it!" Without hesitation, the Garudan proceeded to prepare the lab's equipment for a blast of lethal force.

"No!"Baraka shrieked, torn between stopping Moira or attacking Lraon. He went for the latter, but before his paws could reach the Ambassador's neck, body guards rendered him helpless, pressed face-down to the ground.

"Dispose of him," ordered Lraon.

Not without a fight, Baraka was pushed towards the exit while Lraon readied himself to witness the egg's disintegration. _It is time to right this wrong!_

"Idiotic fossil! You don't know what you're doing!" Baraka screamed madly. An escort silenced him with a blow on the ursine jaw.

"Blast that thing out of my sight!" Lraon ordered eying the egg, while Baraka was gagged. From the shadows, slick and fast, Baraka's assassin was quick to join his master's captors, helping them drag the fiery scientist outside.

_Traitor!_ Baraka judged angrily.

* * *

Marlene and Sera guided security forces down the tunnels. Time was running out. The Invid sensed pain and a source of energy, growing out of control.

_We have to move faster! _The mother told Sera. _We must transfigure!_

_We can't risk being seen, sister..._ Marlene nodded.

"Scott, we wont make it this way. Sera and I can go faster... alone," she whispered. "You must buy us some time, we shouldn't be seen... transforming." She could sense his worry, but she was desperate to the point of considering using her Invid abilities, witnesses or not.

"It's dangerous, we don't know who could be waiting there. I can't let you do that!" he replied.

"I must." She looked at him with pleading eyes. "Our son is in grave danger!"

Loathing to let her go away unprotected, Scott had to cave in. Marlene explained where she and Sera had felt the baby to be. Enabled by the advantages of an energy state, the Invid would use a shortcut.

"I'll be right behind you. Marlene... please be careful," he told her softly; she nodded.

While Scott continued through the tunnel, the sisters remained behind, setting their plan in motion as soon as the group was out of sight.

* * *

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	15. Finality

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 15  
_Finality_**

* * *

The lab's secret door closed behind them. Baraka's choked complaints ceased. Struggling further with his guards proved futile; they were too many. He chose to save his energy and focused on finding a way to escape. 

The minute that the scientist was taken into custody, his second in command realized his mistake. Resentment at his boss' treatment of him had taken the assassin over. Where was his good judgment when he allowed the Garudan to call the ambassador? Safety in his line of work disappears quickly after a master falls. It wouldn't take long before the ambassador flushed out Baraka's inner circle. Despite being well hidden, the bodies were bound to surface. If the assassin was to escape, he needed his master's contacts inside and outside Moon Base.

Quiet and unbelieving, Baraka's mind searched. As his eyes discreetly searched the dark tunnel just ahead, he felt the odds had swung against him. Just then from behind, another sign of his misfortune came. He was pushed. He stumbled and fell, scratching his face against the cold ground.

The assassin hurried to lift the fallen Karbarran and, while he shoved him back between his captors, he gave Baraka a subtle signal; he wasn't there to harm him.

* * *

"I want it completely gone," ordered Lraon inside the lab. "No trace left of it." 

"Yes, sir, " acknowledged Moira Blune, maneuvering her weapon's aim. A ray shot from its metallic head, hitting dead-center the dark egg behind the window.

_At last, this abomination will disappear,_ Lraon thought, relishing the moment.

Beneath a charred surface, the protector contorted. The life force that had created it was in deadly peril. Solely programmed to defend the baby, the being was running out of options. Anger and fear rose instinctively and, amidst its elementary mind, the being found a dangerous way.

* * *

Two Invid energy forms traversed Moon Base's entrails. While sensing the protector's turmoil, anxiety took hold of them. They advanced hurriedly and learned that to shield the baby, the protector had absorbed huge amounts of unstable energy. It was exhausted from the effort to contain it and couldn't take it for much longer. The last message it had sent them was strange; it was a warning to stay away. 

But they wouldn't listen. Cornered, the protector filled their minds with fiery images. The mother understood what it was about to do. _Stop! Don't do this. There must be another way! _she begged, while both Invid neared the facility's core.

* * *

"It will take a few more seconds before the molecules start to dislodge, sir," informed Moira. 

The ambassador nodded. "My work here is done," he sounded satisfied and took a moment to notice the time. _If I hurry, I can still catch the end of the meeting at the Council Chambers, _he mussed with greed.

But suddenly, the room grew quiet. Lraon raised his head and noticed awe imprinted on the faces around him. His sight followed theirs and encountered the creature behind the window. It wasn't dead. The charcoal black crust had cracked, revealing a molten mass that grew, seemingly fed by the same energy trying to finish it.

"What is this!" he asked the Garudan.

"I... I don't know, sir... it should be breaking apart..."

She worked the controls speedily and increased the force, yet that only managed to exacerbate the creature's growth. Fearful technicians abandoned their posts and crammed themselves next to the exit.

* * *

Running against time, Marlene and Sera found an entrance to the lab. They crossed it, revealing their presence and adding shock to the rampant confusion of everyone inside. 

The Invid took in the scene. Horrified, they noticed the ray anchored on the charred and cracked egg. The control panel wasn't difficult to distinguish; Marlene went for it at once. Her anger grew, mirroring the desperation swelling within the protector.

Lraon's startled escort reacted barely on time. Shots flew at the furious Invid. The mother and her sister boldly dodged the fire, until a blast found its target on the princess' back. The powerful yet mortal beings had to retreat.

Unable to approach, the sisters witnessed the last drop of the protector's energy wasting away.The lab's protective window exploded.

"No," cried Marlene and took care of shielding her wounded sister.

Glass shards shot outward, knocking everyone down. Painful wails erupted as transparent projectiles embedded themselves into the flesh of any being that their violent paths encountered.

Blood oozed from Lraon's face and upper torso when he crawled up. Before a blow of obliterating plasma hit him, the Karbarran had time to see Moira laying dead over the control panel, her inert weight pressing the weapon's trigger.

* * *

The base trembled. Baraka lost footing as did his captors. Recognizing the opportunity, the assassin fired his weapon, killing two guards. Baraka disarmed and dispatched another one while, like an agile overgrown cat, the assassin dodged counter-shots aimed at him. His training was effective. It wasn't long before he and his master were free to escape, board a shuttle and flee Moon Base. But Baraka had other plans. He navigated the tunnels with skill. He found a round cover on the floor, opened it and rushed the assassin to follow him. There, they waited.

* * *

Scott, Lancer and security personnel were rocked along the tunnel they stood in. The tremor indubitably announced something had gone wrong. 

_No!_ Scott bolted toward the blast's origin.

"This way!" Lancer told the team. Then he chased after his friend, begging all the while for Sera to be all right.

Unconscious on the floor, outside what had been the lab, Scott and Lancer found Marlene and Sera. The Invid had reverted into their humanoid forms. Both men approached, fearing the worst. Scott madly searched for vital signs while Lancer discovered the wound on his wife's back. To their relief, even if faintly, the sisters were still breathing.

"Get me a medical team, immediately," the captain yelled while cradling Marlene in his arms. Immobile, he took in the scene of destruction. "My son..." he whispered, crushedHe didn't want to imagine the terrible things that had gone on. But as hard as it might be, he had to see for himself what had been of his baby boy. Silently, Lancer understood his friend's need, and agreed to look over Marlene while Scott went.

The distraught father explored the facility's remains. The patterns brunt onto the floors resembled a huge rupestral painting. Daunting silhouettes of a assorted beings covered the surface.

Toward the center of the room, the rest of a circular wall was visible. The pattern died away as well; the energy had been higher there. A shallow depression followed behind some large pieces of twisted metal. The captain saw dancing lights.

He approached, thinking fire still lingered, but what he saw rendered him awestruck. Still covered in chunks of a radiant substance there was a baby, his baby.

Overcome by emotion he knelt next to him. Very gently, the father cleared his tiny face. He seemed so perfectly human except for unnaturally purple eyes. He felt little and fragile in his hands... and still warm.

Questions remained, but Scott Bernard didn't stop to think why or how, there would be time for that later. Like an automaton, he rushed to take the baby and his mother to a medic.

* * *

After all noise made by security crews stopped, Baraka and his assassin emerged from their hiding place. They returned to what had been the lab's location to find a lonely scene of death. 

_I was right, _the scientist mused witnessing proof of the power yielded by the creature. But his victory was bittersweet. Lraon had ruined his chance at giving his race an edge over humans. "Death, that's the least you deserved, illustrious ambassador," he said with fake reverence while noting one particular horned mark on the floor.

"Sir, we don't have much time," urged the assassin.

"Just a second," replied Baraka. He explored the ruins further, approaching their center. And just as with Scott, shimmering light guided the Karbarran toward a radiant substance.

"Not all may be lost..." he said grinning.

* * *

For related fan art, visit my website. 


	16. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech or its characters. This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**Chapter 16**  
_**Epilogue**_

* * *

"Thank you, doctor," said Marlene holding her baby boy. Mother and child had both been declared healthy and free to go. 

"You are velcome, Marlene," Lang replied. She wrapped her child in a soft blanket, preparing him for their departure. "Marlene, I vant to tell you that I'm sorry for vhat happened," he said. "Scott still vont talk to me, but I hope you kan believe I never vanted you or your baby to be harmed."

"I always knew you meant well, doctor," she told him. Although she couldn't read human minds at will -not even Scott's, the Invid had learned to perceive human emotions. Lang was sincere. Looking deep into the old man's pained eyes she told him: "Scott knows that you have taken good care of us," she hugged the baby tighter, "I'm sure he's grateful for that, and I am too."

Lang's eyes softened with hope.

Looking at the perfect little boy that she had, Marlene's mind remembered her sister. Sera had risked a lot to help them.

"My sister told me that she talked to you, doctor."

"Yes, Sera talked to me about her desire to conceive."

"She told me that you are going to help her," added the mother while she set the baby into his carriage. "Will it be possible for her, doctor? It happened for Scott and me, I mean, it could happen again... "

"I am not sure at de moment, Marlene. De Regiss made Sera different from you. She added certain things into your sister's genetik kode that aren't in yours, a failsafe of sorts. Reproduktion vith humans vasn't on her mind."

Marlene looked at her baby and felt sad for her sister and Lancer.

"But, I also think there are vays around it. Given some time, I believe Sera vill be able to give your child a little kousin."

"That would be wonderful, doctor!" she said beaming at the thought. She had sensed how much Sera wanted to become a mother. Their babies would grow and play together; they would have so much in common. Soon after, however, her expression changed. She remembered the being that had accompanied her son, its inexplicable appearance and terrible demise. Would it all happen again when Sera got pregnant?

"Vhat eez it Marlene?" asked Lang, noticing something was bothering the young mother.

"It is just..." she wished she hadn't thought of it, "we never talked about that other being that was with my baby, doctor."

"Yes, many questions remain about _that_. Ve found out that your earlier skans had been altered."

"Altered, how?"

"Theez being or shell vas present earlier during your pregnancy than vhat ve vere led to believe. De results were adjusted to hide its presence from us. Ve kould have known much more about it. Sadly, it completely disintegrated during de explosion." The doctor could tell dark thoughts were haunting the mother. "Don't worry, Marlene," he comforted. "I still think that it vas just a defense mechanism, triggered by de baby himself vhen he sensed danger. Your baby eez a vonderful und unique being; as he grows, ve vill learn more about his abilities."

"What about what happened down there, doctor Lang?"

"Are you vorried about de explosion?"

"Uh... and other things..."

"You und your sister are the only ones who know vhat _really_ happened," he paused, sensing her nervousness. "Ve kan't forget that an illegal facility eez never checked for safety regulations kompliance. Most likely, it ran vith substandard equipment, und unqualified technicians even. An accident due to mishandling vas bound to occur. Fortunately, your baby vas able to shield himself using his Invid genetiks, just like you und your sister did," he looked at her meaningfully. "That ezz vhat my report vill say."

"Marlene," a nurse came into the room, "Captain Bernard is here to pick you and the baby up," she announced.

"Thank you, we'll be right out," answered the mother.

"You don't need to vorry any further about it, Marlene," the doctor assured.

She nodded, grateful. "All what matters is that my baby is healthy and safe."

"Yes. Let's keep it that vay. Don't forget to book your next check-up appointment before you leave," he reminded.

She walked to the door. "I will. Thank you, doctor Lang," she said, meaning it. Before crossing the frame she told the old scientist: "Scott will come around, just give him some time."

* * *

"... they agreed," was saying admiral Hayes Hunter to her husband. Shrouded in a silky robe, she walked toward the jacuzzi inside their suite at Club Med New Praxis. "The details have to be ironed out but in principle, Sera and Marlene would become consultants to the Alliance's ambassador to the Invid." Rick listened while busying himself trying to find champagne glasses in the kitchenette. After feeling the temperature was right with her little toe, Lisa disrobed herself and entered the warm water. "I'm glad the Council didn't oppose, diplomatic roles will grant the sisters protection." 

"I'm not surprised at the Council's response. After Lraon's homicidal scheme was exposed and leaked to the press, any delegate who opposed would had been committing political suicide," he added.

"Indeed. Public opinion has sided with the parents. Scott, Marlene and their baby are safe on the moon. Hopefully one day the same will be true on Earth."

"I hope so too." said Rick while serving chilled Tirollian champagne in the long glasses that he had just found. "Having the sister's on our side has another advantage: it will increase our chances of eventually negotiating a treaty with their _mom,"_ he added.

She laughed. "_Maternal_ is the last thing the Invid Regiss strikes me to be like."

He laughed as well.

"But enough about politics, my dear Lisa. This," he said bringing a glass of golden liquor to his wife, "is what we both need." He came to sit by her side and enjoy the the soothing jacuzzi.

'I agree with you, Rick. You know, this undisclosed location for an official meeting idea of yours was one of your best," she said.

"You don't give me the credit I deserve, sweetheart," he said faking offense. "What about the champagne _and_ the butler?"

"You are right, dear," replied Lisa, savoring the golden liquid and remembering the robotic massage she had treated herself to just earlier. "You are absolutely brilliant, and..." she looked at him mischievously, "absolutely sexy."

_So, Tirollian champagne is an aphrodisiac after all, _he thought. "I like where this official meeting is headed, admiral Hayes Hunter."

* * *

Marlene cradled the baby while softly humming a lullaby for him. Peeking over her shoulder and holding them both, Scott looked at his little one. Once asleep, the parents gently put the baby into his crib. 

"At last, my baby, you are safe," whispered Marlene.

"Do you think he's having sweet dreams?" asked Scott.

"I know he is," she replied smiling and helped the father to take a little glimpse. He smiled too, perceiving the baby's thoughts. What wouldn't he give to be able to communicate with his son at all times, in the way his mother could.

"What are we going to call him?" he inquired.

"Caden," she said, her eyes never leaving the child, "after the fighter in him."

He leaned down to kiss his little forehead. "Caden," he repeated liking the sound of it.

Scott held Marlene's hand as they left the baby's room. Bigger quarters -relatively speaking- had been assigned to Marlene and Scott. Standing in the quiet space that served as kitchen and dining room, Scott wrapped his arms around Marlene's waist, she rested her head on his chest.

"Marlene," he said nervously, "Rook, Rand, Annie and Lunk are coming to visit us next Saturday."

"That's great! I've missed them and I can't wait to show them Caden," she replied, excited by the good news.

"Lancer and Sera are coming too."

"We are going to have a celebration, then." she smiled widely. "But you seem... hmm... nervous about it?" she said noticing he only had smiled faintly.

"Uh... well, a little, I guess."

"Why, Scott? They are our closest friends."

He sighed. "Yes they are, and I'm happy to see them... But it's not everyday that one gets married," he said trying to keep his voice steady. She was speechless. "That is of course, if you agree to marry me," he took out a tiny velvet box; inside, a ring for her. "I know it is kind of short notice but..."

Her lips quieted his.

* * *

For most of the night, baby Caden dreamed, calmly and colorfully, like his parents had witnessed. Little by little, his unconscious movements had made his soft blanket slip down. He started feeling cold and woke up to a dark room. On top of him, a mobile spun softly. His eyes, not completely developed yet, couldn't distinguish the toy-like shapes. To him, they resembled blurry tentacles. Memories flowed into his little mind: shiny and cold metallic arms, menacing him. He got scared, and before he knew it, a bright beam shot from his eyes. Above his crib a lonely and fuming cable hung.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. 

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